STACK ANNOUNCES $255,000 GRANT FOR BOULEVARD SAFETY INITIATIVE

PHILADELPHIA, NOV. 16, 2007 — Standing at the corner of Roosevelt Boulevard and Red Lion Road, State Sen. Mike Stack today joined state Rep. Mike McGeehan, PennDOT’s Nick Martino, 7th Police District Capt. Joseph Zaffino and police officers to announce a $255,000 state grant to step up police patrols and traffic enforcement along Roosevelt Boulevard.

“This grant will allow our officers to continue to enforce the rules of the road,” Stack said. “So far, they have done an outstanding job of protecting our drivers and pedestrians who are obeying the law.”

This marks the fourth consecutive year that the Philadelphia Police Department’s Roosevelt Boulevard Accident Reduction Initiative will receive this state grant for targeted traffic enforcement along 12.5 miles of the Roosevelt Boulevard, from 9th Street to the county line.

Roosevelt Boulevard has been labeled one of the most dangerous roadways in Pennsylvania. In response, in 2002, the Philadelphia Police Department launched the successful Roosevelt Boulevard Accident Reduction Initiative, which has consistently received state funding so that officers can continue to catch traffic violators who don’t have proper registration or insurance.

“Thanks to the efforts of our police officers, we have seen decreases in fatalities, injuries, and total accidents over the past five years,” Stack said.

Although we see our officers writing tickets, making arrests and impounding cars, I think it’s important to see the bigger picture: they’re saving lives.”

Since the initiative’s inception, the number of fatalities on the boulevard has decreased from 21 in 2001 to eight in 2006.

“As long as they continue to make the boulevard safer, I will continue to work to secure funding so that they can keep up the good work,” Stack said.