Beginning today, May 1, the Philadelphia Parking Authority’s new Bicycle Lane Enforcement unit will be patrolling and enforcing bike lane regulations in select city neighborhoods.

The current ongoing bike lane enforcements are being expanded so that this unit will focus exclusively on ticketing vehicles illegally parked in bike lanes.

“Bicyclists are an integral part of Philadelphia’s transportation ecosystem. Since 2011, 45 bicyclists have been killed, and over 135 have been injured. We must do all we can to protect our bicyclists and provide them safe access to city streets,” said PPA Executive Director Rich Lazer, in a statement.

“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,” Lazer continued.

Lazer thanks the new bike lane enforcement unit for their willingness to volunteer for the new safety patrols, and the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia for their work and vigilance in protecting bicyclists.

These changes come as a part of Philadelphia's Vision Zero plan; the City's version of Sweden's national policy to eliminate all traffic related deaths and severe injuries, while simultaneously increasing everyone's mobility, safety, and health.

“We are very excited and relieved to see the Philadelphia Parking Authority’s program get underway.  Many of Philadelphia’s unprotected bike lanes are chronically encroached upon by drivers who park or stand with impunity,” said Executive Director of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia Sarah Stuart.

“Bicyclists have been asking for increased enforcement of such motorists for years. The Bicycle Coalition welcomes this team of enforcement officers on bikes to be able to efficiently and sustainably keep bike lanes clear and safe for the  bicyclists they were designed and built for,” she concluded.