If you drive through West or Southwest Philadelphia, slow down. The grace period on the city’s newest speed cameras is officially over.
Starting at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, October 30, speed cameras along the final stretch of Route 13, from Strawberry Mansion down to Southwest Philadelphia, began issuing real tickets.
What Changed
For the last 60 days, drivers caught speeding by these cameras only got warning letters in the mail. Now, those warnings have turned into fines.
The 11 new camera locations join six cameras on the northern part of Route 13 that went live in June. The city also has another 31 cameras along Broad Street.
How Much It’ll Cost You
The cameras ticket drivers going 11 mph or more over the speed limit.
- 11 to 19 mph over: $100
- Faster than that: higher fines
The good news, if there is any: speed camera tickets don’t put points on your driver’s license.
Do the Cameras Work?
Philadelphia has been using speed cameras on Roosevelt Boulevard, one of the most dangerous roads in the city, for several years. According to the Philadelphia Parking Authority, speeding on the Boulevard dropped by 95% after the cameras went in.
The city says it picks camera corridors based on crash, injury and speed data, and the money from tickets goes back into traffic safety projects around Philadelphia.
More Cameras Are Coming
Route 13 won’t be the last. The city has already named its next targets:
- Allegheny Avenue
- Erie Avenue and Torresdale Avenue
- Delaware Avenue, Oregon Avenue east of Broad, and Richmond Street
If you drive any of those roads regularly, expect to see cameras there eventually.
The Easy Way to Avoid a Ticket
The cameras only catch drivers going 11 mph or more over the limit. Stick close to the speed limit, especially on wide roads where it’s easy to drift faster than you think, and you won’t have anything to worry about.
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