WHEREAS, Long-time Masterman High School teacher Kevin Saint Clair was tragically killed while biking on Henry Avenue in Northwest Philadelphia, an incident that shocked the Masterman and Philadelphia communities; and
WHEREAS, As of August 31, 2023, 84 Philadelphians lost their lives in traffic collisions. The vast majority of them were walking and biking. Philadelphia has a much higher death rate from traffic collisions than peer cities, at 7.4 deaths per 100,000 residents. New York City, with over 5 times as high a population as Philadelphia, has a fatality rate of 2.64 deaths per 100,000 residents; and
WHEREAS, Harvard University in 2022 published a study finding that Black and brown Americans die at higher rates from roadway collisions; the fatality risk for Black Americans is 4.5 times as high than White Americans. In Philadelphia, Black residents make up roughly 40 percent of the city’s population, but account for roughly 50 percent of all traffic deaths; and
WHEREAS, Automated enforcement measures have seen success along Roosevelt Boulevard, with speeding along what is considered to be the city’s most dangerous road decreasing by nearly 90 percent; and
WHEREAS, Three state laws ensuring automated speed camera enforcement throughout the Commonwealth are sunsetting in 2023, including Act 86 of 2018 which provides automated enforcement along Roosevelt Boulevard, which will sunset on December 14, 2023; now, therefore, be it,
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, This hearing will investigate the rise in moving violations and traffic deaths since 2020 and explore solutions to create a safer Philadelphia for people walking, cycling and driving.
End