PPA to begin ticketing drivers who park or stop in Philadelphia bike lanes

CBS News

19-06-2025

You remember the title of the bill,"Get Out the Bike Lane"? Now is the time.
The Philadelphia Parking Authority can begin today ticketing anyone who is parking, stopping or even just standing in a bike lane. After a two-week warning period, formal enforcement began Thursday, June 19 — meaning real tickets can be issued.
The bill increased the fines for bike violations to $125 in Center City and $75 in other parts of the city. In addition, new loading zones were added and "no parking" zones were changed to "no stopping anytime" zones — and signs reflecting the change have been added along Spruce and Pine streets.
The law couldn't be fully enforced until those signs were installed. Removing the "no parking" signs removes a 20-minute grace period for drivers, meaning violators can get ticketed right away for blocking the bike lane.
Some Center City residential associations had been critical of the changes, with homeowners and renters who drive saying the changes would make it more difficult to drop off groceries at home or park temporarily.
Advocates for cyclists, meanwhile, said something needed to be done — too many vehicles were blocking bike lanes, especially on the major biking routes of Pine and Spruce, and making things more dangerous.
"The City and PPA worked together to roll out new No Stopping Anytime regulation signs on the Spruce and Pine corridor concurrently with the addition of new loading zones," Mike Carroll, Philadelphia's deputy managing director for transportation and infrastructure, said in a news release. "This addresses the need for resident motorists, ride hailing services, and delivery vehicles to make short-term pick-ups and drop-offs, which formerly may have taken place in the designated bike lanes. We feel this balances long standing concerns over safety while doing our best to accommodate loading activity," Carroll continued.
Maps of the new loading zones are available on the city's website here.
The next phase of the project includes curb-separated bike lane infrastructure and other safety measures funded in Mayor Cherelle Parker's 2026 budget.
City Council President Kenyatta Johnson introduced the "Get Out the Bike Lane" bill.