The days of drivers parking and illegally blocking bike lines throughout the city without consequence are numbered.
On Monday, the Philadelphia Parking Authority's new bike lane enforcement unit hit the streets.
At 11:15 a.m. the eight member bike lane enforcement unit began its inaugural patrol, targeting vehicles that are illegally parked in bike lanes throughout the city.
As of late Monday afternoon, 60 bike lane parking violation tickets were issued.
Get Philly local news, weather forecasts, sports and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Philadelphia newsletters.
"The PPA has issued over 25,000 tickets for bike lane safety violations since 2014. Enforcement is a deterrence aimed at changing behavior and encouraging compliance with our bike lane regulations. The staggering number of violations clearly demonstrates the need for a focused enforcement unit to concentrate solely on bike lanes in Center City, University City, and South Philadelphia," PPA executive director Rich Lazer said in a statement.
The PPA noted that 45 bicyclists have died and over 135 have been injured in Philadelphia since 2011.
Sarah Stuart, Executive Director of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, has said bicyclists have been asking for increased enforcement for years and that the group is excited for the new unit to begin patrols.
In a statement, Lazer credited the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia for their "vigilance and hard work in protecting bicyclists."
"Our goal is to improve public safety and enhance the quality of life in our neighborhoods by encouraging compliance with bike lane regulations and keeping our bike lanes clear and free of parked vehicles," Lazer said in a statement.
