September 17, 2026
Michaela Althouse/PhillyVoice
PPA's smart loading zones are now active on 52 blocks in Center City. Delivery trucks and drivers who stop in the zones must create an account on CurbPass. It costs 10 cents per minute to use the loading zones. Violators face $51 fines.
The Philadelphia Parking Authority has started enforcing its newest smart loading zones in Center City, charging 10 cents per minute for vehicles to stop in designated areas monitored by cameras.
The PPA debuted smart loading zones last year on 22 blocks of Chestnut, Walnut and Sansom streets. Another 30 Center City blocks now have smart loading zones, including parts of Market Street and sections of Third and 16th streets.
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Loading zones are primarily intended to give delivery drivers a place to temporarily stop without blocking lanes of traffic. Drivers who use smart loading zones must create an account on the CurbPass app to submit the block where they're stopping. The limit to remain in a loading zone is one hour.
Violators who stop in loading zones without paying on CurbPass or stay past the allotted hour will be fined $51.
The PPA started using smart loading zones in Center City to improve traffic flow and remove the need for officers to enforce violations. Cameras operated by Automotus detect and classify vehicles along designated curbs to monitor how long they remain at a given location.
Drivers are permitted a three-minute grace period for quick deliveries or to register on CurbPass. Once a car is registered, the cameras automatically identify it and start a session after three minutes have passed.
Since the program started, PPA said traffic speeds have increased by 28% on Chestnut Street and 32% on Walnut Street. Use of the loading zones by commercial vehicles has nearly doubled. Loading zones also cut down on the number of cars that circle blocks and clog streets looking for a parking space, PPA said.
"Our initial Smart Loading Zone pilot clearly demonstrates that camera technology works and has significantly improved traffic flow on two of our most congested arteries," acting PPA Executive Director Gabe Roberts said. "We are making substantial progress in our effort to reduce congestion on Center City streets, which in turn improves public safety and the quality of life in Philadelphia."
Similar programs that use Automotus cameras have been established in Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, Miami, Houston and other cities.
The PPA encourages all drivers in Philadelphia to create a CurbPass account. Fleet drivers are able to register through a company account. To date, more than 49,000 vehicles have been registered with the app.
The map below shows all of the blocks with smart loading zones.
