Title
Authorizing City Council’s Committees on Law and Government and Streets and Services to hold public hearings to investigate the state of intergovernmental cooperation between the Streets Department, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation [Penn DOT] and the City Council of Philadelphia, and, toward a remedy, authorizing the issuance of subpoenas to compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of documents to the full extent authorized under Section 2-401 of the Home Rule Charter.
Body
WHEREAS, The Department of Streets and Penn DOT share the authority to regulate traffic on Philadelphia’s streets pursuant to Section 5-500(d) of the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter and Title 75 Part V Chapter 61 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes; and
WHEREAS, This shared responsibility over the regulation of Philadelphia’s traffic has frequently been marred by jurisdictional disputes and challenges between Penn DOT and the Department of Streets, resulting in neglect and inaction of dangerous traffic conditions which have produced many needless injuries and even deaths; and
WHEREAS, Over the past year, there has been an alarming increase in the number of school children struck and injured by vehicles on their way to or from school. Many if not most of these 77 accidents occurred on high volume roads which lack flashing school zone signs and other traffic control devices which increase the safety of students who must cross these streets at their peril; and
WHEREAS, While many of these accidents have occurred on state highways under the jurisdiction of Penn DOT, Penn DOT disclaims any responsibility for erecting flashing school zone signs and other traffic control devices, claiming that installation of these devices are the responsibility of the Streets Department; and
WHEREAS, Roosevelt Boulevard is the site of some of the worst crashes involving school children and the location of two intersections ranked by State Farm Insurance as among the worst three intersections in the nation based on the sheer number of crashes per intersection. The deputy director for transportation planning at the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, commenting on the friction between the Streets Department and Penn DOT concerning Roosevelt Boulevard, has stated that “at the moment, there’s no real leadership or great plan on the table to do more with it”; and
WHEREAS, Over the past five years, while the lights on the Platt bridge were removed, there were 118 serious vehicle accidents on the bridge; and
WHEREAS, During that period of time the Streets Department and Penn DOT each disclaimed responsibility for repairing and maintaining lighting on the bridge and claimed the other agency had sole jurisdiction and responsibility. While this dispute simmered the lights remained out and accident totals kept increasing; and
WHEREAS, The Streets Department has developed a well known reputation for non-cooperation with members of City Council. Recently, a councilperson who chaired hearings at which the Streets Department appeared and testified called the Streets Department “the ‘no’ department”, explaining that “their first answer to everything is ‘no’”; and
WHEREAS, The Streets Department lack of cooperation with City Council has greatly frustrated the ability of Councilpersons to address the traffic safety concerns of their constituents who call upon them to assist in securing traffic control signals for dangerous intersections in their neighborhoods; and
WHEREAS, The failure of the Streets Department to faithfully cooperate with Penn DOT and City Council places the citizens of this City in peril and subjects the City of Philadelphia to possible sanctions levied by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; now therefore be it
resolved, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Authorizes the Committees on Law and Government and Streets and Services to hold public hearings to investigate the state of intergovernmental cooperation between the Streets Department, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and the City Council of Philadelphia, and, toward a remedy, authorizing the issuance of subpoenas to compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of documents to the full extent authorized under Section 2-401 of the Home Rule Charter.
End