Speed Cameras Begin Issuing Warnings To Drivers

Drivers speeding along Broad Street will soon start receiving formal warnings as the city activates a new network of automated speed cameras aimed at improving safety on one of its busiest corridors.

City officials announced Monday that the cameras, installed over the summer, are now fully operational and will begin issuing warnings this week. The devices are part of Philadelphia Parking Authority’s (PPA) automated speed enforcement program, which has already been deployed on Roosevelt Boulevard and credited with reducing crashes there by more than 36 percent.

Under the program, any driver clocked going more than 11 miles per hour above the posted speed limit on Broad Street will receive a warning notice by mail during the initial 60-day grace period. After that, violations will trigger monetary fines ranging from $100 to $150, depending on the driver’s speed. The citations are civil, not criminal, and do not add points to a driver’s record.

Transportation officials said Broad Street was selected because it has one of the highest rates of traffic crashes in the city. According to the Philadelphia Department of Streets, the corridor has seen dozens of serious injuries and several fatalities in recent years, many linked to excessive speeding.

Mayor Cherelle Parker said the cameras are meant to “save lives, not raise revenue,” adding that any fine revenue will go directly toward traffic safety improvements. PPA Executive Director Rich Lazer echoed that point, noting the cameras are part of the city’s Vision Zero goal to eliminate traffic deaths.

Officials urged drivers to slow down now, emphasizing that the initial warnings are meant as an opportunity to change behavior before fines begin.