The Philadelphia Parking Authority is doing what it can to help stranded commuters left without a mode of transportation when thousands of SEPTA workers headed to the picket lines Tuesday morning.
SEPTA and Transport Workers Union Local 234 were unable to come to a contract agreement by the 12:01 a.m. deadline on Tuesday, so service has been halted on buses, trolleys and the subway system.
While the transit agency's thousands of passengers had to come up with alternate plans – including taking Uber or biking – the PPA is charging a flat rate of $10 for 10 hours of parking for a handful of garages until the end of the strike.
The rate will be applied to:
• Autopark at Market Street East, 10th Street between Arch and Filbert streets
• Parkade on 8th, Eighth Street between Arch and Filbert streets
• Autopark at Jefferson, 10th Street between Market and Chestnut streets
• Autopark at Independence Mall, Fifth and Sixth streets between Market and Arch streets
• Autopark at Old City, Front and Second streets between Chestnut and Walnut streets
The PPA also laid out some new rules for street parking.
Residential permit parking enforcement will be lifted between 8 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., while zones with two-hour parking will start at 3:30 p.m. with ticketing beginning at 5:30 p.m.
Parked at a meter? The PPA said it won't ticket cars parked at expired spots until an hour after the expiration to allow time for drivers to get back to their cars.
Parking will also be allowed at the following locations, which are normally prohibited or limited:
• Second Street from Spring Garden to Willow streets, west side
• Spring Garden Street from Front to I-95 overpass, both sides
• Spring Garden Street from Fifth to Ninth streets, both sides
• Vine Street from 10th to Broad streets, both sides
• 18th Street from Race to Vine streets, west side
• 23rd Street from Arch to Race streets, west side
• Chestnut Street Viaduct from Front Street to Columbus Boulevard, south side
• Columbus Boulevard from Market to Lombard Streets, east side
• JFK Boulevard from 20th Street to Schuylkill Avenue, both sides
• Lemon Hill Drive from Kelly to Sedgley drives, north side
• Poplar Drive from Sedgley Drive to Girard Avenue, both sides
• Sedgley Drive from Poplar Drive to Girard Avenue, both sides
Parking will also be permitted at these locations:
• Fifth Street from Spring Garden to Willow streets, both sides
• Sixth Street from Spring Garden to Willow streets, both sides
• Eighth Street from Spring Garden to Willow streets, both sides
• Riverside parking areas on Kelly and M. L. King drives
• City-owned lot at 682 N. Sixth St. (south of Girard Avenue)
Commuters without a car can opt to ride into work using Indego, the city's bike share. It increased bike capacity at four locations in Center City and added parking as well.
Uber also expanded its pool coverage area west to Reading, east to Trenton and south to New Castle County.