An investigation into Philadelphia's street cleaning program reveals a parking ticket program that doesn't benefit the city as much as it benefits the Philadelphia Parking Authority.
Aaron Moselle and Ryan Briggs shares the findings of an investigation by WHYY and PlanPhilly reporters into street cleaning practices in Philadelphia—namely, the city's willingness to write tickets for cars parking during sweeping hours while failing to actually sweep the streets.
"Over the course of one week in December 2018, the reporters did not observe any street sweepers on any of the posted routes before, during, and after the posted 'no parking' hours," according to Moselle and Briggs. "But even if sweepers don’t show up consistently, The Philadelphia Parking Authority’s agents do."
"Between 2007 and 2017, the state parking enforcement agency issued over 148,000 tickets to drivers for failing to move their cars on days designated for street sweeping, according to [Philadelphia Parking Authority] records."
The article digs into a lot more detail about the details of the city's very limited street cleaning program. None of the details reported in the article will make anyone who has received a street cleaning ticket in Philadelphia feel any better.
FULL STORY: PPA makes millions ticketing drivers for blocking street sweepers that rarely show
Parking Ticket Revenue: Which Cities Earn Most?
A list of 15 cities with the highest per-capita parking enforcement revenue.
So Far, Higher Parking Fees Not Reducing Denver Traffic
The city’s efforts to reduce driving and parking downtown by raising parking fees and ticket fines seem to have little effect on driving habits.
Opinion: Proposed Parking Tax Reduction Would Do More Harm Than Good
Recent investigations into the conditions facing workers in private parking lots in Philadelphia has produced a series of legislation reforms, but one idea, to lower the city's parking tax, isn't going to fly with this opinion writer.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
City Nature Challenge: Explore, Document, and Protect Urban Biodiversity
The City Nature Challenge is a global community science event where participants use the iNaturalist app to document urban biodiversity, contributing valuable data to support conservation and scientific research.
A Lone Voice for Climate: How The Wild Robot Stands Apart in Hollywood
Among this year’s Oscar-nominated films, only The Wild Robot passed the Climate Reality Check, a test measuring climate change representation in storytelling, highlighting the ongoing lack of climate awareness in mainstream Hollywood films.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research