Speed cameras on Philadelphia's Route 13 begin issuing fines after warning period

Drivers on a western Philadelphia section of state Route 13 can now be fined by 11 automated speed cameras, which started ticketing Friday after a 60-day grace period ended, several local outlets reported.

The Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA) operates the cameras. According to 6abc, they were activated just after midnight Friday and cover an area stretching from Strawberry Mansion down to Southwest Philadelphia. CBS Philadelphia instead described the stretch as running approximately between West and North Philadelphia. CBS Philadelphia said the grace period started Aug. 31, and 6abc said motorists were sent warnings by mail while it lasted.

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, roads covered in this section include Baltimore, Ridge, University and West Girard Avenues, plus three numbered streets.

Cameras flag vehicles moving at least 11 mph faster than the limit. Citing officials, NBC10 said penalties are $100 at 11 to 19 mph above the limit, $125 at 20 to 29 mph above, and $150 at 30 mph or more above. Outlets said violations carry no license points. The Inquirer explained that the offense is classified as a civil, nonmoving violation.

The cameras make up the corridor's second phase. Per 6abc, six cameras farther north on Route 13 began fining drivers in June. The Inquirer said those first cameras are on Frankford Avenue and on Levick and Robbins Streets in the Northeast.

Gabe Roberts, the PPA's acting executive director, pointed to Roosevelt Boulevard, where the agency credits cameras with a 95% drop in speeding. "Our goal is to continue saving lives and improving public safety on major traffic arteries in the city," Roberts said in a release quoted by CBS Philadelphia.

Counts for the citywide program varied by outlet. CBS Philadelphia put the total at 80 cameras, 40 of them on Roosevelt Boulevard. 6abc said Broad Street has 31 cameras of its own.

NBC10 cited city figures showing that from 2019 to 2023, Route 13 saw 123 crashes in which someone was killed or badly hurt, 160 crashes linked to speeding, and 258 crashes involving people on foot.

Plate images are collected by Verra Mobility, the PPA's contractor, the Inquirer reported. The agency told the newspaper that some motorists cover or tamper with plates to dodge tickets, so the system watches for counterfeit or irregular plates, cars lacking a rear plate, and forged paper temporary tags.

According to 6abc, money from the fines supports traffic safety work. The station said officials choose corridors based on crash, injury and speed data, and are weighing future cameras on Allegheny Avenue, on Erie and Torresdale Avenues, and along a route made up of Delaware Avenue, Richmond Street and the part of Oregon Avenue east of Broad Street.

Compiled by True News from reporting by CBS Philadelphia, The Philadelphia Inquirer, 6abc Action News and NBC10 Philadelphia. Each outlet's original story is linked below.

Originally published by True News: https://truenews.bagleyenterprises.net/stories/615