Philadelphia Parking Authority removes phony bike lane signs amid confusion
There are new bike lane laws in Philadelphia, including stiffer penalties for people who stop their cars in bike lanes, however CBS News Philadelphia found out the new law isn't going to be fully enforced until the city updates the signs in the spring of 2025.
Meanwhile, a new twist: The city said phony stickers were put up in Center City, creating confusion among cyclists and neighbors. CBS News Philadelphia found the person behind the stickers — a masked attorney who said he's just trying to help.
The bike lanes on Spruce and Pine streets in Philadelphia are some of the most popular in the city, and for years, cyclists have been trying to get city leaders to do more to keep vehicles out of their lane. CBS News Philadelphia has been investigating the city's bike lanes for months — from vehicles blocking bike lanes for close to an hour to the city's decade-long practice of allowing churchgoers to park in some bike lanes on Sundays.
Last month, the city enacted a new law including bigger fines for those who park in bike lanes and changing the bike lanes on Spruce and Pine from "no parking zones" to "no stopping zones," meaning someone could be ticketed right away rather than getting a 20-minute grace period. Last month, CBS News Philadelphia found that the new law wouldn't be enforced until next year. That's when a man wearing a mask decided to do something.
"So we made stickers that say 'stopping' so that we could make the 'no parking' signs, 'no stopping' signs," said Stuart Leon, a bicycle crash attorney in Philadelphia who makes social media videos promoting his practice.
In recent videos, Leon is shown wearing a mask and putting stickers on city signs. Leon said he was hoping to bring attention to the problem. Last week, the city told CBS News Philadelphia the stickers were put up illegally and the Philadelphia Parking Authority was out taking them down.
CBS Philadelphia asked Leon if he was worried about any consequences from the city for putting up unauthorized signage.
"I have been working for bicycle riders for decades now. Again, it's not my job just to get money from insurance companies for these people," he said. "I'm trying to do something about the problem."
A spokesperson for the Philadelphia Parking Authority said the agency has removed 20 stickers so far.
CBS News Philadelphia asked the city why it's going to take at least five to six months to get the new signage up, and a spokesperson said they're still finalizing plans for new loading zones on Spruce and Pine, giving vehicles a place they can legally stop. The city hopes to install the loading zones at the same time they change over to the "no stopping" signs along the bike lanes.