Earlier this week, Glenn Richard Colville Jr, a father of three was killed by traffic violence. Glenn was killed in a hit-and-run at East Lehigh and Aramingo; another preventable tragedy on one of Philadelphia’s most dangerous corridors. In this case, the person behind the wheel was located, (and later released) but there are countless incidents where the person behind the wheel goes untraced; this year alone there have been four hit and runs. It’s a reason why proposed policies like the Jay Alert pilot are necessary, which we will be writing about next week.
This is not an isolated incident. Last year, 100 people were killed in traffic crashes across Philadelphia. As of April this year, there have been 29 traffic deaths, nearly equal to the number of lives lost to homicides in Philadelphia during the same time period. The data is unequivocal: speed determines survival. At 40 mph, only 1 in 10 people survive a crash; at 20 mph, 9 out of 10 survive.
We know what works to mitigate traffic deaths:
- Concrete protected bike lanes provide real separation; not just paint
- Better lighting improves nighttime visibility.
- Speed bumps force drivers to slow down.
- Curb extensions, or bump-outs, shorten crossing distances and have been shown to reduce crashes and injuries by improving sightlines and slowing turning vehicles.
Research also shows traffic-calming curb extension measures contribute to measurable crash reductions:
⬇️ 13% reduction in reported crashes
🚑 9% reduction in reported crashes 9% (SAGE Journals, 2024).
Automated enforcement must also be part of the solution. Pennsylvania Representative Tarik Khan’s bill to expand speed cameras on the High Injury Network would bring accountability where design alone falls short.
Aramingo Avenue is a known danger. Between Lehigh and Allegheny, there were 48 crashes, 6 serious injuries, and 1 death from 2018–2022. Progress has stalled despite modest reductions. The City has a plan, now it needs funding and urgency. We should not have to wait for another life to be lost to act. We look forward to working with OTIS, PennDOT and Federal congressional offices to advocate for funding for this and other important projects that can help bring us to Vision Zero.
Join Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia and our Transit affiliate Transit Forward Philadelphia at an upcoming City Budget town hall meeting to advocate for safer streets https://www.transitforwardphilly.org/events .
If you can’t make the above events but would like to advocate for more improvements locally, contact our policy director: julio@bicyclecoalition.org
If anyone you know has been involved in a crash or lost someone in a crash and is looking for community, please reach out to Families for Safe Streets Greater Philadelphia by emailing julio@bicyclecoalition.org.
Families for Safe Streets Greater Philadelphia (FSSGP) is comprised of victims of traffic violence and families whose loved ones have been killed or severely injured by aggressive, reckless, or careless driving, behaviors enabled by dangerous street design. FSSGP represents the full range of Greater Philadelphia’s rich diversity and collectively demands an end to traffic violence.