Traffic Collision and Traffic Calming Measures Proposed by City Council

According to information provided by Thomas’ office, the city has seen traffic deaths rise from 84 in 2019 to 152 in 2020. This year, Philadelphia reached 84 traffic deaths before the end of August.

“While traffic deaths have lessened since the height of the pandemic, it is still far too dangerous to walk and bike in our city,” Thomas said via press release. “This continue to promote this gloomy, dark cloud that’s over the city right now.”

Thomas lauded the efforts made on Roosevelt Boulevard, which, according to the press release, has seen a 90% decrease in speeding and a 36% reduction in crashes. Thomas said red light cameras and speed cameras can be useful in reducing the number of collisions throughout the city.

Lozada also introduced a bill requiring the Managing Director’s Office to track those who require opioid antidotes more than once in a 30-day period.

Reports will then be made to the Clerk of City Council’s office between January 1st, 2024, and January 1st, 2026. The reports will be issued every 3 months and include the following information:

The total number of individuals to whom First Responders administered opioid antidote, listed by department;

The total number of opioid antidote treatments administered by each department;

The number of repeat opioid antidote recipients to whom each department administered opioid antidote, provided that at least one such administration which took place within thirty (30) days of another administration must have occurred during the three (3) month period covered by the report;

The number of opioid antidote treatments that each department administered to each repeat opioid antidote recipient, along with a description of the amount of time that passed between each such administration of opioid antidote; and

The locations, identified by the nearest cross-street(s), where the department provided opioid antidote to any repeat opioid antidote recipients.

Lozada introduced a similar bill aimed at curbing “impermissible camping” in Philadelphia, which the legislation defines as camping “done in violation of any provision of the Code, the use of any property for temporary or permanent outdoor living accommodation purposes, including: sleeping or making preparations to sleep; laying down or using for the purpose of sleeping any tent, tarpaulin, lean-to, sleeping bag, bedroll, mattress, blankets, or any form of cover or protection from the elements other than clothing; storing personal belongings; or making any fire.“

The legislation is similar to the opioid antidote legislation in it’s reporting timeframe, with some differences in how the reports will be made and the information within. The requirements are as follows:

During the reporting term, the Office of the Managing Director shall provide written reports to the Chief Clerk of Council that comply with the following requirements:

(a) Contents. Reports must include, at a minimum, the following information for the two (2) month period preceding the original report deadline:

(.1) The total number of individuals with whom City employees initiated an interaction because such individuals were impermissibly camping, listed by department;

(.2) The number of such individuals referenced in Subsection (1)(a)(.1) with whom the department has initiated an interaction on more than one occasion during the two (2) month period covered by the report because such individuals were impermissibly camping;

(.3) The locations in the City where impermissible camping has repeatedly or continuously occurred during the two (2) month period covered by the report; and

(.4) A description of the services offered by each department to the individuals who are impermissibly camping, the frequency with which services were accepted, and, if available, information concerning individuals’ reasons for refusing services that were offered.

Amongst other challenges, dispatchers cited low pay, staffing issues, and the overall stress of the job as factors contributing to low morale.

The starting salary for Philadelphia 911 dispatchers is $47,000, with staff turnover being a constant source of concern. According to testimony given at the hearing, 70% of dispatchers have less than four years on the job.

An increase in both calls and the severity of those calls also puts a strain on dispatchers, with mass shootings increasing over the last few years. Dispatchers are also tasked with prioritizing calls, often when there is a small police presence in an area receiving frequent 911 calls.

Currently, dispatchers are looking for a higher salary, better mental health benefits, and the hiring of more colleagues to better staff 911 call operations.