Narrative:

Our aircraft was cleared for takeoff, controller stated aircraft was crossing downfield when takeoff clearance was issued. As power was advanced for takeoff, I noticed that an aircraft Y, a B757, was crossing the runway (runway 9L) at taxiway north, approximately 1/2 way down runway 9L. Aircraft was not moving quickly during its crossing and we were concerned if we would have to do evasive action to miss the aircraft. The aircraft did clear prior to us reaching taxiway T and we continued the takeoff. Captain commented to the tower controller 'that was a little close.' the tower controller agreed, but nothing further was said as we were told to contact departure control. My concern was, if the aircraft Y decided to stop with its tail still on runway 9L, that we would have to perform evasive maneuvering. Phl tower uses 2 frequencys to control traffic to runway 9L&right. Aircraft landing on runway 9R are given clearance to cross runway 9L, in order to get to the gate, by the tower controller of runway 9R, not the controller directing traffic on runway 9L. The tower controllers talk amongst themselves when giving clearance to cross runways. Aircraft crossing runway 9L do not know when an aircraft is given clearance for takeoff on runway 9L and aircraft taking off on runway 9L do not know when aircraft are crossing runway 9L. Phl airport is the only airport I know where the tower controller of a specific runway does not talk to aircraft crossing his runway. This procedure should be changed so that pilots will know when aircraft will be crossing their paths as they take off or taxi to the gate.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT X WAS CLRED FOR TKOF WHILE ACFT Y HADN'T COMPLETELY CLRED THE RWY. BECAUSE OF THE SLOWNESS OF ACFT Y TO CLR RWY, FLC OF ACFT X ANTICIPATED TAKING EVASIVE ACTION.

Narrative: OUR ACFT WAS CLRED FOR TKOF, CTLR STATED ACFT WAS XING DOWNFIELD WHEN TKOF CLRNC WAS ISSUED. AS PWR WAS ADVANCED FOR TKOF, I NOTICED THAT AN ACFT Y, A B757, WAS XING THE RWY (RWY 9L) AT TXWY N, APPROX 1/2 WAY DOWN RWY 9L. ACFT WAS NOT MOVING QUICKLY DURING ITS XING AND WE WERE CONCERNED IF WE WOULD HAVE TO DO EVASIVE ACTION TO MISS THE ACFT. THE ACFT DID CLR PRIOR TO US REACHING TXWY T AND WE CONTINUED THE TKOF. CAPT COMMENTED TO THE TWR CTLR 'THAT WAS A LITTLE CLOSE.' THE TWR CTLR AGREED, BUT NOTHING FURTHER WAS SAID AS WE WERE TOLD TO CONTACT DEP CTL. MY CONCERN WAS, IF THE ACFT Y DECIDED TO STOP WITH ITS TAIL STILL ON RWY 9L, THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO PERFORM EVASIVE MANEUVERING. PHL TWR USES 2 FREQS TO CTL TFC TO RWY 9L&R. ACFT LNDG ON RWY 9R ARE GIVEN CLRNC TO CROSS RWY 9L, IN ORDER TO GET TO THE GATE, BY THE TWR CTLR OF RWY 9R, NOT THE CTLR DIRECTING TFC ON RWY 9L. THE TWR CTLRS TALK AMONGST THEMSELVES WHEN GIVING CLRNC TO CROSS RWYS. ACFT XING RWY 9L DO NOT KNOW WHEN AN ACFT IS GIVEN CLRNC FOR TKOF ON RWY 9L AND ACFT TAKING OFF ON RWY 9L DO NOT KNOW WHEN ACFT ARE XING RWY 9L. PHL ARPT IS THE ONLY ARPT I KNOW WHERE THE TWR CTLR OF A SPECIFIC RWY DOES NOT TALK TO ACFT XING HIS RWY. THIS PROC SHOULD BE CHANGED SO THAT PLTS WILL KNOW WHEN ACFT WILL BE XING THEIR PATHS AS THEY TAKE OFF OR TAXI TO THE GATE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.