Better watch your speed on these 2 Philadelphia thoroughfares for the next month

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Speeders and red-light runners, beware. Police have taken note that, since the start of the pandemic, more drivers are ignoring the rules of the road, and they will be cracking down this month along two busy stretches in the southwest and northeast parts of the city.

Extra officers, with extra ticket books, will be out on Island Avenue, from Bartram Avenue to Woodland Avenue, and on Aramingo Avenue, from Somerset to the Frankford Creek.

"You're going to see a tremendous amount of uniformed vehicles out there on these thoroughfares,” said Deputy Police Commissioner James Kelly. “Especially these two, now.”

The Island and Aramingo enforcement blitz will run from Monday, Aug. 5, through Friday, Aug. 30.

Kelly says it's part of an ongoing effort to make the streets safer.

"I think people got into this groove that you can do whatever you want — and that's not the case. We're putting a lot of effort into it," he said.

Kelly says it follows similar efforts on North Broad Street, Bustleton Avenue and other arteries.

"I think we've got to give it a longer period of time to really make a good analysis of it. And some of it is just to change the culture of people who just want to drive any way they want, and this lawlessness."

Deputy Commissioner Mike Cram says, overall, the number of crashes is down slightly over last year.

"We've seen about 26,000 accidents, right? Slightly below the pace of last year at this time. On pace for a slight reduction at the end of the year," Cram said.

Kelly says police are also continuing to pay extra attention to Bustleton Avenue which became the route of choice for many after speed cameras were installed along Roosevelt Boulevard.