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Quality of Life Issues Handbook

Street and Parking Issues

Building Issues

Other (safety, schools, taxes, trash. water, animal control...)

  Cars, Abandoned

  • Call the 14th District Police, (215) 686-3140.
  • Call the Chief Inspector Abandoned Vehicle Unit, (215) 683-2277

Report the address of the vehicle's
location including, make, model, color,
state license plate tags, any inspection
stickers on vehicle, and any damage to
vehicle.

Appliances Left on Porch or Yard / Trash Strewn Yards

  • Call the 14th District Sanitation Police, (215) 685-2147.
  • Call the Department of License and Inspections Services and Operations Unit, (215) 686-2463 or use the L&I Online Service and Complaint System.
  • Call the Code Enforcement Officer of the Streets Department, (215) 686-5560.

Street Signs and Traffic Signals

  • To get a new stop signs or traffic signal installed or changed (e.g. more green time, an arrow, etc.) contact the Streets Department.

Stop signs and traffic signals are installed by the Streets Department in accordance with regulations issued by the PENNDOT, the Pennsyvlania Department of Transportation. These regulations are, in our experience fairly rigid

Chief Traffic Engineer
Streets Department
City of Philadelphia
Department of Streets
7th Floor, Municipal Services Building
Philadelphia, PA 19102-1676

  • If a traffic signal is malfunctioning (or turned, knocked down, etc) or a street sign is missing, damaged or turned, of if the white / yellow center lines or crosswalk lines are missing or faded:

Contact the Streets Department's Customer Affairs Unit at 215-686-5560 between 7:00 AM and 7:00 PM.

If there is no adequate response, call (215)-686-5515

If a traffic signal is malfunctioning after 7pm call 911.

  • Speed limit signs and pedestrian crossing signs are a city issue. (City Issue)

  • Call Councilwoman Miller’s office, (215) 686-3424
  • Call your block leader or the WMAN office if you wish to organize a community meeting to these issues with your neighbors.

 Watch Children Signs

  • Neighbors can put these signs up themselves.
  • Call your block leader or the WMAN office if you need assistance or wish to organize a community meeting to discuss traffic issues

Flooded Intersection:

  • Call the Streets Department's Customer Affairs Unit, (215) 686-5560

  • Or call the water department emergency number, (215) 685-6300

Dangerous of Unshoveled Sidewalks

  • Sidewalk and curb maintenance, by city ordinance, is the responsibility of the property owner. The property owner, agent or tenant, as the owner may determine, is responsible for removing snow from the sidewalk at the end of a snowstorm. The regulations require that there should be a path cleared of not less than 30 inches in width, on the sidewalk, abutting the property. As a courtesy to your neighbors and other pedestrians, provide as wide a path as possible, and cut out handicap ramps and inlets.
  • Call the Department of License and Inspections Services and Operations Unit, (215) 686-3140 or use the L&I Online Service and Complaint System.
  • Or call the Department of Streets, street lighting unit, (215)-686-3082

 Street Plowing and Salting

  • Call the Streets Department's Customer Affairs Unit at 215-686-5560, or dial (star) *FIX on your cellular phone (a free cellular call) to request that your street be plowed or salted following a snow or ice storm. The representative will route your request to the appropriate Highway district for service.

  • Call your block captain or WMAN.

Pot Holes

  • Call the Customer Service Unit Unit of the the Highway Division of the Streets Department, 215-686-5560
  • If possible, please have the following information:
    • Give the exact location
    • Be prepared to describe the hole
    • Is the hole on the sidewalk or roadway (driving lane or parking lane)?
    • Size (approximate length/width/depth)
    • Is there a barricade over this hole?
    • Note whether you hear or see water in the hole.
    • Is this a bus route?
    • Is the hole in a trolley track area?
  • The Highway Division of the Streets Department maintains over 2,000 miles of public city streets. However, 390 miles of streets within the city limits are actually state highways, maintained by PennDOT. There are also private streets within the city limits maintained by homeowner associations. Potholes between trolley and train tracks or within 18 inches outside of the tracks, are maintained by SEPTA. You do not need to know who maintains it in order to report it to the Streets Department.

Oil Spills on the Street

  • Call the Streets Department's Customer Affairs Unit at 215-686-5560 or dial (star) * FIX on your cellular phone (a free cellular call) to report an oil spill. The representative will route your request to your respective Highway district for service. After hours, oil spill complaints should be reported to 215-686-1776, the main City Hall switchboard.

Parking Permits, temporary and permanent

  • For a handicap parking space, contact the Philadelphia Parking Authority at 215-683-974l.
     

  • For a Loading Zone for your business, contact the Philadelphia Parking Authority at 215-683-9742.
     
  • For a residential parking permit, contact the Philadelphia Parking Authority at 215-683-9730.
     
  • For a temporary permit to prohibit parking for moving, work, delivery, etc?, Contact the Streets Department's Traffic Division at 215-686-5525 by 3 PM the business day prior to your need.

Improper Parking on the Street.

(For example: Autos from garages parked on residential streets or residents who use cones to save their parking spaces.)

  • Write letter to Business Compliance Unit of the Department of License and Inspections explaining overextension of use and violation of city code, (215) 686-5153 or use the L&I Online Service and Complaint System.

    Municipal Services Building
    1401 John F. Kennedy Blvd. 11th Floor
    Philadelphia, PA 19102
     
  • If parked cars are blocking your driveway, contact the Streets Department's Customer Affairs Unit at 215-686-5560 and request a Driveway Paint Permit. Provide your name and address. An application will be mailed to you.

Improper Business Activity on the Street

For example, Auto Repair Activity

Prohibiting Trucks from Parking on a Residential Street

  • Write to the Streets Department's Chief Traffic Engineer. (See address above.)

For a Permit to Block the Street or Sidewalks

  • Contact the Streets Department's Highway Division at 215-686-5500 or the Streets Department's Traffic Division at 215-686-5524 to start the permit process. You will need to explain why, how long, and when.

Block Parties

Loitering

  • Call the 14th district police only if drug dealing, vandalism or harassment is occurring, (215) 686-3140.

Streets & Sidewalks



Street Sign broken or missing, Traffic Light broken: (215)-686-5515
Trees