The Philadelphia Parking Authority announced on Tuesday a new pilot program of bicycle-riding officers to target motorists illegally parked in bike and bus lanes — a program for which the Bicycle Coalition has long been advocating.
The program is a commitment to staffing up the Quality of Life Enforcement unit by adding new bike patrol officers who will specifically ticket blocked bike and bus lanes — problems that Philadelphians are well aware of.
As announced at Tuesday’s meeting, the pilot program will take place between Delaware Avenue and 40th Street, Spring Garden and Bainbridge, and be limited to five officers for the time being, with the understanding that it would likely take 35 officers to cover the entire city.
Getting officers on bikes to patrol bike and bus lanes not only would make the enforcement of these dangerous blockages more efficient, but it would cut down on enforcement by armed officers.