What to Know
- Philly Police, SEPTA and the PPA are cracking down on illegally stopped delivery trucks and cars that cause congestion.
- The crackdown along parts of Chestnut and Market streets began Monday.
- “Together, we are working to keep traffic moving and streets safe for people using all modes of transportation,” Mayor Jim Kenney said.
Philadelphia agencies are joining forces to crack down on cars and trucks that commonly block lanes of traffic in Center City.
Philadelphia and SEPTA police officers, SEPTA supervisors and the Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA) are issuing parking and moving violations on two of the busiest stretches of Market and Chestnut streets.
“We want people to know it is unacceptable and against the law to block bus lanes and stop in the middle of the street,” Mayor Jim Kenney said in a Friday news release. “Together, we are working to keep traffic moving and streets safe for people using all modes of transportation.”
The crackdown began Monday on Market from 13th to 7th streets and Chestnut from 23rd to 7th streets, the city said. By midday, tickets were being issued to delivery trucks stopped in the bus lanes.
The plan is to focus enforcement on bus, bike and right-turn-only lanes. Enforcement officers will be encouraged to issue not only tickets to delivery trucks and other cars parked in those lanes but also on moving violations like driving in the bus lane (a common action on Chestnut Street) and illegal turns.
“Congestion contributes to higher operating costs for SEPTA, and impacts service to our customers,” SEPTA general manager Jeffrey Knueppel said.
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This latest action follows about four months of enforcement last fall and winter. During that period, which ended in January, SEPTA bus travel times increased 6.4 % on Chestnut Street and 4 % on Market Street. A total of 3,635 tickets were issued (mostly by the PPA) during that earlier crackdown.
SEPTA gave no timetable for how long the new enforcement initiative will be in place. Besides just doling out citations, the enhanced enforcement plan also includes incentives for legal loading and parking and addressing any loading issues.
