Nuisance or danger: Philly residents dispute crosswalk parking

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The lack of parking spots in certain Philadelphia neighborhoods can lead many drivers to park illegally in crosswalks.

Depending on who you ask, it's just a small inconvenience that comes with living in the city, but for others, it poses a danger walking around the neighborhood.

In locations like Fairmount, Point Breeze, and South Philly, frustrated residents said increasingly they see cars parked directly in front of the crosswalks.

"If you're in a wheelchair or if you're pushing a baby in a stroller, what are you going to do?" Thom Duff of South Philadelphia said.

The Philadelphia Parking Authority said they do ticket drivers blocking crosswalks, but with just about 200 enforcement officers, they can't cover the entire city.

Philadelphia police, meanwhile, can ticket and tow violators, but cases are prioritized based on the severity of the violation, resources, and manpower available.

Enforcement, however, is much stricter in Fairmount than in South Philly where median parking, though technically illegal, is now just a way of life.

"We got a big parking problem around here and if they would be a little more lenient I think it would be a little bit better," Carey Johnston of Fairmount said.

Parking has been and continues to be a point of contention in neighborhoods that are seeing growth.

Residents said they hope they can come to some kind of fair resolution considering parking is difficult to find.

Meanwhile, Council Presidents Darrell Clarke said they aren't aware of any formal complaints, but said they are looking into the matter.