Philly Mayor Parker signs bill protecting bike lanes – NBC10 Philadelphia

With a flick of the wrist and the twist of a pen, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker signed a law on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, banning drivers from stopping, standing or parking in bike lanes across the city – and increases the fines for those who break the law.

“We’ve all seen safety issues driving through the city, vehicles blocking these bike lanes, and even drivers thinking it’s not a big deal,” Parker said. “Well, it’s a big deal.”

Parker said this bill, known as the “Get Out the Bike Lane Bill,” will increase penalties for those who park illegally in 35 miles of bike lanes across Philly.

And she noted that those who park in bike lanes “endanger the safety of all road users.”

“You’ve earned my respect because I tried,” Parker told the city’s cyclists, saying she’s had a hard time navigating bike paths lately.

Parker said she found the bike lanes narrow and stressed it was important to keep them clear for cyclists.

“The bike paths aren’t wide enough for a car,” she said.

The city council approved the new parking regulations on October 24, 2024.

This new legislation comes just months after Dr. Barbara Friedes – who was recently named chief medical officer at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia – was struck and killed by a motorist while she was riding her bicycle in Center City.

In August, bike safety advocates, families of accident victims and other concerned residents gathered to call for the creation of protected bike lanes throughout the city.

What does the Get Out the Bike Lane Bill aim to achieve?

Bill No. 240657 – known as the “Get Out the Bike Lane Bill” – amends Title 12 of the Philadelphia Traffic Code “to prohibit stopping, standing or parking a vehicle in a bike lane and to increase fines for illegal stopping, standing or parking a vehicle in a bicycle path, all under certain conditions.”

In principle, parking and stopping on cycle paths will be taboo.

The new bill, known as the “Get Out the Bike Lane” law, would impose a fine for those who park, stop or stand in a bike lane: $125 in Center City and University City and $75 in other parts of the city.

Previously, a law went into effect in January 2013 that banned parking in a bike lane and fined drivers $75 in Center City and University City and $50 in other parts of the city.