New Parking Lane On Ben Franklin Parkway Causing Rush Hour Delays
By Michelle Durham
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - There have been some traffic flow changes at 20th and Vine Streets, at the base of the Ben Franklin Parkway, and it's causing some traffic headaches for motorists at rush hour.
Parking kiosks were recently installed in the left lane of the outbound outer drive of the Ben Franklin Parkway approaching the Art Museum. A bicycle lane was placed along the right curb. These changes reduce vehicle traffic to just one lane there, even during rush hour.
"What we've noticed is that the parking there has created some back-ups during the peak hours," spokesperson for the Mayor's Office of Transportation and Utilities Andrew Stober says. "So we're going to be instituting what is called a 'peak hour clearance' where we will not be allowing parking during the evening rush and opening up that lane for traffic."
The change will be instituted within a week. But he says as of right now, no other changes will be made, so traffic on Vine Street in the left lane approaching 20th Street will still be required to enter the inner drive of the Parkway.
