Change provides a clear, consistent rule that bike lanes are not for parking a vehicle

Today, Pittsburgh City Council voted 9-0 on Councilman Bobby Wilson’s bill to amend the Pittsburgh Municipal Code to make it clear that vehicles are not allowed to park, stop or stand in bike lanes.

This section of the municipal code articulates where people cannot stop, stand or park a vehicle. 

Examples of locations that are prohibited are extensive, and include such places as “within an intersection,” “On a crosswalk,” “Within fifteen (15) feet of a transit stop sign,” and “Other than a taxicab in a taxicab stand.”

However, bike lanes were not on this list until today.

While state law prohibits blocking a travel lane, bike lanes are not specifically cited as a travel lane. This has led to confusion with planners, drivers, building owners, and the police over whether a ticket could even be issued if the bike lane also was not accompanied by a “no parking” sign. This now makes it clear and consistent that bike lanes are not to be parked in, regardless of the presence of a “no parking” sign, saving the City some money in the long run.

Ultimately, this change is really about safety as it’s unsafe to park a vehicle in a bike lane as it causes riders to swerve into moving traffic.

The change also enshrines the ability of paratransit vehicles and those dropping off or picking up people with disabilities to temporarily use the bike lane to aid a passenger, with limitation.

Previously in 2016, the city issued a policy that was distributed to the Public Safety Department that allowed this practice in the ever expanding bike lane network.

The new language, taken from that policy states: “A driver of any vehicle transporting a person with a disability, which is picking up or dropping off that person(s), is exempt. Such stopping shall be limited to the time necessary to complete drop-off and/or pick-up a of a person with a disability. The driver must yield to bicyclists before entering the bicycle lane. The driver must remain in sight of the vehicle at all times while assisting a passenger. A driver of any vehicle transporting a person with a disability may stop a vehicle in a bicycle lane for pick-ups and/or drop-offs upon passenger request at the curb and only if there are no other safe and accessible options for doing so. The driver shall put the vehicle flashers on and be in sight of the vehicle at all times during the pick-up and/or drop-off. Once the passenger has been picked up or dropped off, the vehicle must immediately vacate the bicycle lane.”

Pittsburgh Municipal Code

Also in the legislation is a window to provide exceptions to allow parking in bike lanes, for example in front of a church on Sunday. While the legislation isn’t prescriptive, it will be up to the Director of Mobility and Infrastructure to determine when this should or should not be allowed.