by KYW's Steve Tawa
Beginning this week, the Philadelphia Parking Authority is scheduling sit-downs with all business associations and merchants in center city, because it is about to begin a big crackdown on delivery trucks, in an effort to unclog city traffic.
More than a year ago, the Center City District report "Managing Success" highlighted the problem: Fed Ex, UPS, and DHL trucks (among others) in a core area that included Walnut and Chestnut Streets rang up nearly 9,800 parking tickets.
Parking Authority strategic planning director Rick Dickson:
"One double-parked truck can tie up traffic for blocks behind it."
The core problem area is between Chesnut and Walnut, from 7th to 20th Streets:
"We're creating special times for delivery: 6am to 10am, parking will be restricted to only delivery vehicles. During the rest of the day, delivery trucks will be prohibited from parking on those streets."
The PPA is installing 17 new "truck loading zones" on the numbered north/south streets, and Sansom and Moravian, where they're not obstructing retail fronts.
What about delivery vehicles plucking tickets off windshields, chalking it up to the cost of doing business?
"We have tow trucks that can move those trucks."
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