New parking rules may confound motorists

Philadelphia’s somewhat confusing parking rules are getting even more confusing – with regulations that take effect next week.

Philadelphia’s somewhat confusing parking rules are getting even more confusing – with regulations that take effect next week.

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The new signs along Chestnut and Walnut Streets vaguely resemble stereo instructions. They note the new regulations, including a ban on car parking from 6 to 10 AM, which frees up the streets for delivery trucks. But after 10 AM, trucks are banned on the streets.

Rick Dixon is Senior Director of Strategic Planning at the Parking Authority. He says the complex rules are necessary to promote turnover and prevent double parking.

Dixon: We try to set time limits that allows people to do business on the block and then leave and let other people come in and have the same opportunity to participate in the shopping or whatever the recreation opportunities of what that block are.

Parking Authority officials say it’s a balancing act trying to please both delivery drivers and others who need to park, and keeping parking spaces in rotation.