City Council approves bill to raise fines on parking or stopping in bike lanes

Stopping in a bike lane will soon be a costly mistake for drivers around the city. 

Philadelphia City Council unanimously approved legislation Thursday banning cars from parking or temporarily stopping in paths designated for cyclers. The move comes after monthslong calls from activists to curb traffic fatalities, particularly in Center City, after the death of Barbara Friedes, 30, in July. 

Previously, vehicles were given a 25-minute grace period before being ticketed, but the new legislation removes that protection. Fines have increased from $75 to $125 in Center City and University City, and from $50 to $75 elsewhere in the city. 

The bill was co-sponsored by Councilmember Jamie Gauthier (D-3rd) and Council President Kenyatta Johnson (D-2nd), who said they expect Mayor Cherelle Parker to sign it soon. After the mayor's signature, enforcement by the Philadelphia Parking Authority would begin immediately. 

"This was really important for us to do. Traffic violence is real violence, traffic violence is preventable, and as a city, we have to be serious about protecting cyclists and everybody on our roads," Gauthier said. 

Some residents who spoke at Thursday's meeting, largely those residing in Center City, took issue with the inability to temporarily stop in front of their homes. They argued that pulling over in the bike lane is more accessible for those who are disabled or elderly and doesn't hold up traffic. 

"Disability access is a protected human right, and bike lanes are not," said Kate Jay, a Society Hill resident and mother to a son with a disability. 

Others, though, think the move is long overdue. Advocates were spurred by the death of Friedes, a medical resident at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia who was killed on the 1800 block of Spruce Street by an alleged drunk driver. 

Those who support the stricter laws say when a vehicle is stopped in a bike lane, it forces cyclists to swerve into traffic, endangering them. They also argued that being able to temporarily park directly in front of a home is a luxury that doesn't exist for many residents. 

"The comments you hear today are from two affluent streets that have been enjoying a perk that few others in this city have been afforded," said Jessie Amadio, the vice chair of Philly Bike Action. "Most people don't have a bike lane in front of their home that they can abuse." 

Gauthier and Johnson said they're looking into expanding loading zones for residents along Spruce and Pine streets to help with the transition. However, they stood by the legislation, saying that public safety is a priority. 

"We also have to change the culture here in Philadelphia and encourage people to just slow down," Johnson said. 

The bill notably does not include installing concrete barriers, another proposed bike safety solution that's been hotly contested. But the city's Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems has said it plans to add them at Spruce and Pine streets, subject to community approval.