How Higher Car Registration Fees will Create Safer Roads

Roads will soon be safer for Philly bicyclists thanks to new state bill generated by City Council

The Pennsylvania General Assembly recently passed a bill introduced generated by City Council Members Bass and Mark Squilla in September 2015 that would authorize” municipalities to raise new revenues in connection with vehicle registrations for maintenance, repair, and enhancement of safety in the right of way” according to the South Philly Review.

One of the ways the city and neighboring Bucks County plan to generate fees for to make roads safer for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists is to increase car registration fees by five dollars.

The bill’s passage coincides with the city’s recent adoption of the Vision Zero Policy a multi-national project that aims to reduce all traffic deaths in a given area to zero in a given amount of time. Public and private sector experts in safety, design, engineering, education and enforcement will help lay the groundwork for a goal and action efficient action plan tailed for Philadelphia.

Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia Program Coordinator, (BCGP) Bob Previdi, believes that Pennsylvania could raise as much as $3.5 million as part of the increased registration fee. Not all of this will make its way to Philadelphia, but Previdi told the South Philly Review that he is glad for any money that Philly receives.

The funds will help prevent bicycle accident injuries and fatalities in a city that has seen an increase in the number cycles in recent years.

“Bicycling in Philadelphia has increased in popularity during the past decade,” said Philadelphia Bike Accident Lawyer Thomas Petrelli. “People are choosing to bike to work and the recent additions to the Schuylkill trail make the city very attractive to recreational cyclists. The need for safer roads for bikers is greater now more than ever.”