Despite backlash over speed cameras, Council advances effort to crack down on speeding near schools

Legislation to use cameras to crack down on speeding in seven Philadelphia school zones was approved by a City Council committee Monday, three weeks after the bill was tabled amid a backlash from some Council members.

This time, approval came by voice vote on a motion from Councilmember Cindy Bass, who had raised concerns in last month’s meeting of the Streets committee.

The state gave Philadelphia permission in late 2023 to use speed cameras at seven schools but only for a five-year trial period.

On March 11, several district Council members, including the committee’s chairperson, pushed to table the bill. They said that neither they nor their constituents had been given any information on the proposal before that vote.

Supporters urged approval Monday, saying one year of the five-year trial period has already passed.

“It’s my hope that this pilot is the start of a wider program of school of speed cameras in school zones,” said Eli Fastow, of Center City. “But for that to come to pass, we need to enact this as soon as possible.”

Other residents testified they were frustrated that, as one put it, the legislation had been “inexplicably” delayed and suggested that councilmanic prerogative, the power of district members over decisions in their territory, was in play.

“This has absolutely nothing to do with prerogative, OK, and everything to do with the fact that I’m being asked to take a vote on a very serious and important issue without being fully informed,” Bass said Monday.

She said she doesn’t want to take a vote without all the facts and now has them. She moved to suspend normal rules so the full Council can vote on the bill at the next full Council meeting without further delay.

“Is it to slow traffic, or is this a money grab by the city?” said Councilmember Jeffery Young, chair of Council’s streets committee, last month, adding that, without more information, that is the question people in his North Philadelphia district will ask.

Young, as well as Bass and district Councilmember Kendra Brooks, said in the March meeting that most people in the affected communities were unaware of the program.

All of them called for more “engagement” with the communities around the schools, which are in various city neighborhoods.

The Philadelphia Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Services said it chose the seven schools with the highest crash rates. It took a little over a year of study to compile and analyze the data for every school in the city.

The seven schools selected for the pilot program are Visitation BVM School, John B. Stetson Middle School, Kipp North Philadelphia Academy, Widener Memorial School, Northeast High School, High School of the Future, and William L. Sayre High School.