In November of 2022, Philadelphia’s office of Transportation, Infrastructure, and Sustainability announced improvements to Market Street that included a two way parking protected bike lane from 20th to 23rd Street in Center City. Shortly after, PennDOT repaved and restriped the road. However the bike lane remains closed to bicycle riders because of the lack of bike signals needed to control bike traffic traveling through those blocks. The Bicycle Coalition has raised the issue with the Streets Department and oTIS several times since spring 2023, when the bike lane was projected to open.
Here are the things we do know:
- Barricades have been placed at the beginning and end of the bike lane to stop riders and drivers from using the bike lane
- Barricades have been illegally moved by drivers who have parked in the bike lane
- Parking signs were first posted incorrectly for a few months, causing delay to PPA’s enforcement
- Parking signs have been corrected so now the Parking Authority can ticket/tow any cars illegally parked in the bike lane.
- The 2100 block of parking spaces is dedicated to Philadelphia Fire Department employees
- Delays to the full opening continue because bike signals still need to be installed to accommodate bicyclists riding in the contraflow part of the 2-way bike lane.
- The issues delaying the signal installation have been worked out, and we have been told that installation work should be starting soon.
A typical day of illegal parking on the “closed” 2-way bike lane on W. Market Street
If you see an illegally parked car in the bike lane, take a picture and tweet it at the Parking Authority (@philaparking) or call 215-683-9773. PPA wants to be notified when there is illegal parking in bike lanes.