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Today’s newsletter is 1,099 words — a 4-minute read.

Speed cameras have made one of Philadelphia's most dangerous highways dramatically safer, and officials say they plan to install dozens more along some of the city's deadliest streets.

Why it matters: At least 72 lives have been saved since speed cameras were installed along Roosevelt Boulevard in 2020, per the latest Vision Zero report.

• The highway has seen a 40% decrease in fatalities — averaging about 7 per year, down from 12 before cameras were installed, city officials tell Axios.

Driving the news: Traffic fatalities have been on the decline since reaching record highs during the pandemic, as Philadelphia has invested millions in roadway safety improvements and public education.

• The city reported 89 traffic-related deaths last year. That's down 26% from 2024 — well ahead of the national average decrease of 6.7%, per the report.
• Nearly half of those involved people walking, biking or roller-skating, per the city's latest Vision Zero report released Monday.

Yes, but: Crashes involving serious injuries increased over the same period, with Philly recording 381 last year, up from 362 in 2024.

• Philadelphians are still three times more likely to die in a traffic crash than New Yorkers, despite Philly having roughly 7 million fewer residents.

Zoom in: The city's so-called High Injury Network (HIN) — including Roosevelt Boulevard — makes up only 12% of Philly's streets but accounts for 80% of fatal and serious injury crashes.

• The city also added traffic-calming measures to 27 blocks along the HIN this year, funded by revenue from speed camera tickets.

Reality check: Speeding remains one of the biggest contributing factors in fatal and serious crashes, with cameras being a huge deterrent, city officials say.

• Speeding tickets along Broad Street dropped 67% through March after cameras were installed last fall, city officials said.

What's ahead: Philly plans to add dozens of additional speed cameras along three more corridors, effectively doubling the number of cameras along the HIN.

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Nicholas. John. Sirianni. Mounting losses have Philly fans ready to call the Eagles coach by his given name.

Why it matters: Everyone is wondering whether the embattled coach will survive the season amid the Eagles' implosion.

State of play: Sirianni is lucky the first snowflake hasn't fallen in Philly, or fans might already be packing snowballs to pelt him with.

• His team has a snowball's chance in hell of making the playoffs.

Driving the news: The Eagles are in the NFC East cellar after their sixth straight loss — a setback to Washington.

Flashback: The Eagles haven't finished last in the division since 2020, when they won only four games under head coach Doug Pederson, who led the Birds to their first Super Bowl in 2018.

The intrigue: The struggles have fans contemplating the unthinkable under Sirianni: Should the Birds tank for a higher draft pick?

What they're saying: The remaining nine games are "a referendum on [Sirianni's] ability to lead the Eagles out of their doldrums," Inquirer Eagles beat reporter Jeff McLane writes.

With few answers for the Eagles' struggles, Sirianni has been left mouthing platitudes about needing to do "better" at postgame news conferences.

Which brings us to our next question, Philly: Would the Eagles be better off firing Sirianni midseason?

• 📬 Reply with your rawest responses. Throw in some humor, too. We hear it's the best medicine for a season that gets more painful every Sunday.

🕯️ A woman jogging in West Philly was struck and killed by a SEPTA trolly yesterday morning at 45th and Chester Avenue. (CBS)

✨ The Flyers go gray with their "Hometown Remix" uniforms, which were unveiled yesterday. Drawing inspiration from the Liberty Bell, the uniforms feature a "crack" on every number and six orange stripes on a gray base.

• The team debuts its new threads tonight at home against the Minnesota Wild.

⛽ Pain at the pump: A gallon of regular in Philly proper will cost you $4.36 on average as of yesterday — up from $3.16 at the same time last year, per AAA.

• Across Pennsylvania, regular gas was averaging $4.43 a gallon.

🛒 Whole Foods Market has reportedly signed a lease to open a new store at the former Neshaminy Mall site in Bensalem, Biz Journal reports.

• The mall, which closed for good last Sunday, is expected to be partially demolished and undergo redevelopment, so TBD on the new supermarket's opening date.

Philadelphia proper's poverty rate rose to 20.4%, per new data from the U.S. Census Bureau released late last week.

Why it matters: After a yearlong hiatus, Philly has reclaimed its title as the poorest big city in America.

State of play: The city's poverty rate increased for the first time in more than a decade, per the American Community Survey's 2025 one-year estimates.

• Meanwhile, rates declined in other big cities, like Houston, Texas, and New York.

Flashback: Last year, Houston had the highest poverty rate among the nation's most populous cities (21.2%), with Philly sliding into the second spot (19.7%).

Worth noting: Poverty is one of Philly's biggest challenges, along with homelessness, which declined last year as more people took advantage of city emergency shelters, safe havens and transitional housing.

Zoom out: The national poverty rate declined to 11.8% last year. Behind Philly, big cities with the highest poverty rates included:

• NYC: 17.7%
• Houston: 17.7%
• Chicago: 17.1%
• San Antonio: 15.6%

Landline phones for kids are making a comeback.

Why it matters: Campaigns like "Wait Until 8th" mean more parents are restricting their kids' smartphone use, but that's left kids with no way to talk to each other outside school.

Driving the news: Tin Can launched last year to fill that gap.

• Plus: Other companies offer similar products, including Pinwheel Home, Ooma MyPhone, Wiley Buddy, Ring Ring Club and Voiply's Kids Phone Plan.

How it works: The colorful, toy-looking Tin Can is $100.

• The phones run off WiFi, you get your own phone number and parents approve what numbers kids can call.
• Parents can also set quiet hours.

The big picture: Most younger elementary school children don't own smartphones, according to a 2025 Pew study.

Keep reading

🤑 Isaac officially paid the deposit to reserve his Rutgers Law School seat. Best money he's spent in a while.

😮‍💨 Mike is looking forward to putting another election in the rearview mirror.

Today's newsletter was edited by Jen Burkett.