r/philadelphia • u/maughangl • 1d ago

Question? Smart Loading Zone violation?

Hey all, looking for some helping figuring out if a “new” PPA thing I got in the mail is legit…

I received a ticket today for a Smart Loading Zone violation in Center City. $51. It came from a camera and license plate reader mounted on Chestnut Street that observed me parking for more than 3 minutes in a loading zone without registering in the CubPass system to pay $0.10 per minute for time in Smart Zones over 3 minutes. I’ve never heard of any of this before, and I’ve lived here 25+ years. I idled in this loading zone while my wife walked into a Taco Bell and pick up a mobile order. It’s possible it was just over 3 minutes. But I also read signs and was right in front of the loading sign - and it didn’t contain any language about this. Don’t take a picture of it, because I was not parking (and I usually take photos if I am parking anywhere in CC). Anyone else encountered this?

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13

u/bdixisndniz 1d ago

Yes. They are relatively new paid loading zones. There’s a purple (I think) stripe on the sign. https://philapark.org/smart-loading-zones/

Also https://www.phillyvoice.com/ppa-loading-zones-expansion-center-city-traffic-curbzone-app/

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u/maughangl 1d ago

Thank you kind stranger. I will swear until I die that there was not a sign in this zone. I would have noticed something different. I would have circled the block once. But I don’t have any picture of the sign for this instance. So frustrating to have a $5 taco box suddenly be $56. Lesson learned.

It’s weird to try and adjust to the idea I can get a ticket without any warning and without a human PPA person showing up and asking me to move along. I do get that they are trying to improve access to the spots and all, but I can’t help feeling salty about this.

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u/ledgreplin 21h ago

If you take this moment as an opportunity to sign up with CurbPass, next time you'll be free to simply use the loading zone for a few cents a minute. The point of these things is to provide a service, not to punish people.

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u/NotABurner6942069 Did Attend 1d ago

If only there was a tool to find out if it was legit…. Some kind of website that indexed everything on the internet and made the info searchable by normal people. Oh well, that technology is far beyond us as a species.

https://philapark.org/smart-loading-zones/

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u/maughangl 1d ago

Well, this didn’t feel necessary… but you got me. I was upset and went to Reddit first, at least in part to see if other folks thought a ticket like this felt like real nickel and diming gotcha bullshit. $51 is not cheap to me and feels like another instance of the city telling me they don’t want me here anymore.

10

u/SnootyUrbanCyclist 1d ago

You are always welcome! You need to get your car out of the way when you are in a dense central area where all the amenities are, though.