PHILADELPHIA – In an effort to provide city residents and visitors with greater access to active street closure permits and related information, the Streets Department today publicly launched its online streets and sidewalks closures permit map. Detailed data for most active and future closure permits issued by the Streets Department is now available online at www.phila.gov/streetspermit.

“Providing online access to Streets’ permits for street and sidewalk closures in real time better equips Philadelphians as they walk, bike, take transit, or drive around the City,” said Mayor Jim Kenney. “The general public should be able to easily determine how long a sidewalk or intersection will be closed and now has a more informed way to report any issues through this map.”

“I believe that streets and sidewalks are a public good, which is why I’ve prioritized legislation to ensure that the people of Philadelphia are able to move safely through our city,” said Councilmember Helen Gym, who authored the 2017 law requiring more pedestrian protections regarding sidewalk closures. “I applaud the Streets Department for this important tool, which makes it possible for the public to help improve the safety and walkability of our city, and to hold sites accountable when they’re not following the rules.”

“By providing online access to these closure permits, the Streets Department is displaying its commitment to the Administration’s goal of greater access to data,” said Michael Carroll, Deputy Managing Director for Transportation with the Office of Transportation, Infrastructure, and Sustainability. “It further supports the Department’s mission for efficiency and being effective in working towards clean, green and safe streets.”

Before this map, residents could only access street closure permit information by contacting or visiting the Streets Department’s Right of Way Unit. Before the map was released publicly, it was tested as a beta site with Philadelphia’s bicycling community. Users are encouraged to report unpermitted closures, unsafe closures or closures lacking proper signage.

“We are proud to make this tool available publicly,” said Streets Commissioner Carlton Williams. “This is a great example of how the Department is using technology to better serve the public. We hope users will find it valuable, and we encourage feedback from the public pertaining to its’ use.”

Through the street and sidewalk closure permit map, the public can now access most sidewalk and street closure permits online for the first time. Users may enter an address or intersection to look up the approved permitted activity taking place at specific locations. The map displays the purpose, permit number, effective date, expiration date and type of closure. Additional information is available when a user clicks on the permit icon found in the popup box, redirecting users to a PDF of the permit as it should appear or be furnished at a worksite.

Information available on the permit includes the permit requestor/company and address, permissible work, permit type, the type of work being executed, a detailed description of the closure, the location of the closure, what type of equipment will be used (encroachments), the permitted time of the closure, and applicable comments from the Streets Department. In addition to Streets Department closure permits, the map features Emergency Utility Notifications reflecting short-term activities and Philadelphia Water Department activities that may or may not result in longer-term closures.

Data for the permit tool is updated on the site within 30 minutes of approval of a new permit. The site automatically refreshes every 30 minutes. More than 16,000 permits were processed by the Streets Department’s Right of Way Unit during Fiscal Year 2018. The Department anticipates that number to grow as public and private development across the City continues to increase.

The map provides users with a direct link to report permit-related concerns such as unpermitted street or sidewalk closures or hazardous conditions through Philly 311. Residents can report issues as they are observed using the geo-locator function on the map or by manually entering the address of questionable activity.

To access the street and sidewalk closure permit map, visit www.phila.gov/streetspermit.