December 2025 Newsletter

Holiday Impaired Driving Enforcement Wave

Traffic safety enforcement is one of the strategies in the Safer People approach to Vision Zero. The Philadelphia Police Department (PPD) receives grant support from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) to focus on aggressive driving, seatbelt usage, and pedestrian safety. To address these driving hazards, PPD does targeted enforcement waves in tandem with agencies across the state.

In the last three-month reporting period, there were 594 stops made by police in enforcement areas chosen by the regional Chief Inspectors and/or the District Captains, who identified problematic locations within their respective commands. Those 594 stops resulted in the writing of 583 traffic violations.

During this holiday season, enforcement has been directed into Center City as the number of visitors increases. Specifically, the enforcement detail will deploy on East Market St, as well as both North and South Broad Street, focusing on pedestrian safety.

Vision Zero by the Numbers in 2025

Messaging is also a critical strategy to address the Safer People approach to Vision Zero. The Vision Zero team, including the Vision Zero ambassadors, have been all over Philadelphia working with and listening to your concerns and needs for safer streets in Philadelphia.

Vision Zero Action Plan 2030

Vision Zero Action Plan 2030 released
24 Vision Zero Roundtables with 83 community partner organizations and 247 residents participating
2,492 Action Plan surveys collected in person, over the phone, and online.

Safe Routes Philly

600 people participated in Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day
62 Walking or Biking School Buses
715 people participated in the Spring Training and Bike to School Day
19 Schools engaged in Safe Routes programs

Vision Zero Ambassador Outreach

10 Vision Zero Ambassadors
68 Vision Zero Ambassador Outreach Events
Over 3,000 conversations about traffic safety at ambassador outreach events
61 tabling events

Media Outreach

11 Vision Zero newsletters
8 press events
73 social media posts
Two traffic safety campaigns

Thank you for your continued support of Vision Zero Philadelphia and our shared mission to end traffic deaths and serious injuries. Please share Vision Zero with your loved ones and ask them to give us all the gift of taking the Vision Zero pledge this holiday season.

Roosevelt Blvd: Route For Change

The City has completed construction of new bus stations on Roosevelt Blvd. These new stations will be served by limited stop bus service – similar to the Boulevard Direct service – enhancing connections between Frankford Transit Center and Wissahickon Transit Center. New stations will be located on Roosevelt Blvd at Broad St, Rising Sun Ave, Tower Center (Langdon St), and Pratt St.

These stations include extra-large bus shelters, pedestrian lighting, information kiosks, and street trees. SEPTA will construct additional stations along Hunting Park Avenue and Ridge Avenue in 2026. The expanded limited stop bus service will begin running in 2027. In the meantime, bus stations will be open to riders using other routes that serve Roosevelt Blvd.

Design continues on Roosevelt Blvd bus lanes between Bustleton Avenue and Southampton Road.  Installation will begin in early 2027.

Back to School 2025

Take a walk down memory lane with Safe Routes Philly’s 2025 Wrapped! This video highlights some of the major accomplishments for the program this past year. Thank you to all of our partners and school champions across the country.

Be an Indego Community Ambassador in 2026

The City of Philadelphia’s Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems (OTIS), in partnership with Indego, is currently seeking passionate individuals and organizations to join as Community Ambassadors. This initiative serves as a powerful bridge, connecting diverse communities in Philadelphia to the benefits of bike share. Indego Community Ambassadors collaborate with Indego to offer residents valuable bike safety education resources. This role involves:

Helping individuals recognize safe riding spaces within their community
Inspiring and encouraging others to use Indego
Signing folks up for group rides, which will be led by Bicycle Coalition staff
Tabling to share information on how to sign up for an Indego pass and the various pass options

Requirements: We are looking for non-profit community organizations with current 501(c)3 status that hold leadership roles in their community and have strong ties in neighborhoods within the Indego service area. Individuals with strong community relationships may also be considered for the Ambassador Program. Ambassadors will need to dedicate at least 6-10 hours per month from March to October. We will prioritize organizations and individuals who have strong ties to Wynnefield, Cobbs Creek, Port Richmond, Kingsessing, and Parkside.

Benefits: Each ambassador will receive a financial stipend of $3,000 with the opportunity to apply for up to $500 in additional grant support. Ambassadors also receive a free Indego pass for the duration of the season and the opportunity to help grow and shape the Indego bike share program!

Deadline to apply: February 12, 2026

How to apply: Click below to learn more and apply. You can also contact Stephanie Ridgeway, Community Engagement Coordinator, at Stephanie.Ridgeway@phila.gov directly with any questions you may have about this opportunity.

Apply Here

Partner Updates

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT)

Remember, if winter weather is forecast, eliminate all unnecessary travel. This will keep you and your family safe and allow PennDOT to more easily perform its winter duties. However, if you must travel, PennDOT offers the following tips for safe driving this winter season. You may also download our Winter Driving Guide.

Learn about what to expect from PennDOT during the winter on our Winter Operations page.

Philadelphia Department of Planning and Development (DPD)

Market East Revival – Submit your ideas! From City Hall to the Delaware River, Market East has a grand history, and many Philadelphians have important connections to it. The success of this transit-rich corridor is important for the city and its future, and public input is essential to the process. Mayor Parker, with the Department of Planning and Development, wants to hear your idea for Market East. These ideas will help inform both the short term and long term work that goes into making Market East a success. Share your idea here: phila.gov/marketeast

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Planning Together – Philadelphia2050. The city’s comprehensive plan is a guidebook that contains Philadelphians’ desires and city planners’ recommendations about the future of the city. The Planning Commission is updating the City’s comprehensive plan and needs your input! What are your dreams for the future of Philadelphia, for your neighborhood? How do you get around the city, and how are you impacted by our hotter summers and stronger storms? These questions and more are in the Phase 1 Vision Survey. Responses to this survey will guide the priorities for the plan update. Submit your vision here: Share Your Vision | Philadelphia 2050 En. The survey is scheduled to close on January 30, 2026.

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)

The Center for Injury Research and Prevention at CHOP wishes everyone a safe and healthy holiday season. In January, CIRP scientists will be at the Transportation Research Board (TRB) meeting in Washington, DC. The Neuroscience of Driving Team will present their research on young driver crash trends during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you are attending TRB, stop by and say hello! If you’d like more information, please reach out to Sara Freed at freeds1@chop.edu.

News from the Young Driver Safety Research Program:

Charting the Road Ahead: Research Innovations for Teen Driver Safety
In honor of November’s National Teen Driver Safety Week, Dr. Sara Freed shares two CIRP research studies that deploy innovative and novel methods to understand predictors of driving safety among young drivers.

Vision Zero In the News

Philadelphia

Philly shares its roadmap to reducing traffic-related deaths and injuries (BillyPenn at WHYY)

Philadelphia unveils vision zero action plan 2030 to eliminate traffic fatalities (hoodline Philadelphia)

Residents renew calls for safety improvements on Cresheim Valley Drive after fatal crash (6abc)

Waymo moves closer to rolling out its self-driving cars in Philly (Philly Voice)

Some South Philly neighbors want to keep Miracle on South 13th Street holiday tradition, but with less traffic congestion and honking (WHYY)

Amazon Launches 30-Minute Delivery in Philadelphia (Phillymag)

Philadelphia Awoke Again To Another Tragic Pedestrian Death (Drexel University Urban Health Collaborative)

Philadelphia unveils equity-driven Vision Zero overhaul (CitiesToday)

What We’re Reading

New York City Driver Behavior Study (NYC DOT)

9 states earn ‘danger’ grade for their traffic safety laws in new report (The Hill)

Waymo to recall software after 20 citations for passing stopped school buses in Austin (CBS Austin)

A first look into congestion pricing in the United States: PM2.5 impacts after six months of New York City cordon pricing (npj | clean air)

Federal Infrastructure Spending on Transportation, Four Years after the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Urban Institute)

Vision Zero Jobs

School Crossing Guard (B), Streets Department

OTIS Communications Manager, Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems (OTIS)

Policy Director, Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia (BCGP)

Join the Conversation

Vision Zero aims to eliminate all traffic deaths and severe injuries on Philadelphia streets www.visionzerophl.com. Follow OTIS on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, and help us share safety messages with your networks using the hashtag #VisionZeroPHL.

Do you have events, accomplishments, or calls to action to share with the Vision Zero Task Force, subcommittees, and community? Send your updates for next month’s newsletter by Friday, January 9 to Virginia Lynn at virginia.lynn@phila.gov.