Overview
- The Philadelphia Parking Authority announced Thursday that it will add smart loading zones on 30 more Center City blocks starting Monday, with a 30‑day warning period before cameras trigger fines.
- High‑resolution cameras and Automotus software will log license plates and dwell times while drivers pay 10 cents per minute through the CurbPass app, with a three‑minute free grace period and a one‑hour cap before a $51 overstay ticket is issued.
- A PPA‑commissioned INRIX analysis cited by the authority found traffic speeds rose about 28 to 32 percent on corridors with the zones and that the program effectively created space for roughly 730 additional vehicle turnovers per day.
- PPA reported roughly 41,100 personal CurbPass accounts and about 8,000 fleet accounts, a measured 51 percent compliance rate, and data showing 78 percent of violators received only one citation; CBS reported nearly $4.8 million in fines collected since the program began.
- The authority is also mounting AI cameras on buses and trolleys to ticket vehicles that block transit lanes and stops, a step that could cut double‑parking and change how delivery and rideshare drivers use curb space while raising privacy concerns among some motorists.