NYC Plans New Crackdown On Double Parked Vehicles In Quest To Get Traffic Moving
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - With congestion pricing in New York's future, the city is now trying to eliminate a major cause of clogged streets - double parkers.
Some say however, a parking crackdown will only lead to more problems.
The driver of a big cement truck CBS2's Marcia Kramer spoke to admits he's a serial double parker.
"You can't park nowhere in the city," the driver said.
Trucks double parking at will continue to make it difficult to drive in New York. Making many streets impassible and especially galling during rush hour.
"We have heard loud and clear from a lot of people. They want to see the buses moving faster. They want to see traffic moving faster," DOT commissioner Polly Trottenberg said.
Which is why officials are planning a major crackdown; tightening up double parking rules in a big way.
Under the crackdown:
- A 20-minute time limit will be imposed for the very first time
- The midtown zone (where double parking is prohibited from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.) will be expanded
- It will be illegal to double park a commercial vehicle if it blocks the only lane of travel
There will also be a special effort to move trucks along during rush hour.
"It's something we've been working on with the police department to improve enforcement," Trottenberg said.
Trottenberg also claimed that the controversial congestion pricing plan would get more trucks off the street during rush hour as well.
"We can charge trucks more to park during the peak and hopefully encourage them to do their deliveries off hours in the evening or the middle of the day."
Arthur Miller, an attorney who fights parking tickets on behalf of delivery companies, says it's going to make servicing businesses more difficult and raise prices for everyone – both businesses and the consumers.
"I've had situations in the past where just to have somebody have an air conditioner delivered, the trucking company wanted an extra $100 to cover the parking tickets," Miller said.
Some drivers say the crackdown can't come soon enough.
"The penalty is not severe enough," Sean Daugherty said.
"Can't get through, cant park anywhere," Nick Martinez added.
To some companies, getting tickets is just the cost of doing business. Commissioner Trottenberg says the city is sensitive to the need for people to get deliveries.
She's looking to increase the number of loading zones. The agency will hold a public hearing on the proposal next week.
