A red light camera in Philadelphia. (Philadelphia Parking Authority via YouTube)
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation will allocate $20.4 million in funding generated from red light camera fines in the Philadelphia area to pay for 31 road safety projects across 25 municipalities.
Transportation Secretary Mike Carroll on Feb. 26 announced a slate of winning projects that will receive revenue derived from the state’s Automated Red-Light Enforcement program, which awards grants to low-cost projects intended to improve public safety and mobility.
“This program helps communities across the state make important investments in traffic flow and safety,” Carroll said. “These improvements complement the many road, bridge and multimodal projects happening in Pennsylvania and are in line with the [Gov. Josh] Shapiro administration’s commitment to invest in Pennsylvania’s infrastructure and help keep communities connected safely to opportunity and each other.”
Eligible projects can include installation of traffic signals or road improvements at intersections with signals along with installation of roadside guardrails. Reduction of road congestion is an overarching goal of the competitive grant program.
Carroll
Created in 2010, the program generates funds through cameras that record and send citations to owners of vehicles caught traveling through red lights at 38 intersections in Philadelphia.
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Applications for grants under the program exceeded available funding by $13.1 million, as 24 applications were submitted requesting a total of $33.5 million. Grant winners were chosen by an eight-member committee that ranked prospective local road projects according to safety benefits and effectiveness, cost, and community impact. Grant applications are accepted every June.
Of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties, those to receive the grants are Allegheny, Bedford, Bucks, Butler, Clearfield, Delaware, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lehigh, Luzerne, Mercer, Montgomery, Philadelphia, Schuylkill, Washington, Westmoreland and York.
The lion’s share of the grants ($10.6 million) was awarded to the city of Philadelphia, largely to improve intersections. Some money will fund a neighborhood slow-speed zone and construction of roundabouts.
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Allegheny County will receive $1.29 million for four projects, of which Pittsburgh will spend a total of $983,032 on traffic signal projects.
Bedford Township in Bedford County plans to spend its $556,834 grant to modernize traffic signals at eight intersections, replace six flashing approach lights, install traffic signs on a rural road with curves, and place camera surveillance for the Belden Road bridge near Interstate 99.
One of the smallest grants went to York County’s West Manchester Township ($74,806) to install radar detectors and left turn arrows at an intersection.
According to the Philadelphia Parking Authority, the volume of red light citations being issued has risen over the past few years because of technology advancements. In fiscal 2024, the number of camera-issued citations rose 39% to 374,262 compared with 268,875 citations the previous fiscal year.
“Newer cameras often come with improved detection and imaging capabilities, which can more accurately and reliably capture violations. Advanced radar systems, better image resolution and enhanced data processing can result in more violations being recorded,” noted Corinne O’Connor, PPA deputy executive director, in the PPA’s “Red Light Program Annual Report, September 2024.”
According to PPA, the red light cameras are tested daily to ensure accuracy. Base fines are $100.
“A camera takes two images of the vehicle progressing through the red light. Technicians review each violation before a citation is mailed to ensure that the vehicle is in violation,” PPA said.
