NYC has cut the number of parking placards it gives to city employees by more than half — from 144,000 to 66,000, effective next month. The reduction far surpasses the City’s original goal of a 20% placard reduction, which was announced in January of this year. The largest cut was Dept. of Education placards, which will fall from about 63,000 to 11,000 (there are roughly 10,000 spaces reserved for DOE employees around schools). Transportation Alternatives executive director Paul White praised the cuts in a statement, saying “For the million kids who attend NYC public schools, this reform means safer streets. We hope it puts an end to the lines of double-parked cars and blocked crosswalks that plague every city school.”
The City is also increasing the secure bicycle parking it offers employees at agency buildings in Lower Manhattan by 88 spaces, including a new bike parking room at the Department of City Planning.
Both of these changes show that the City is leading by example when it comes to encouraging alternative modes of transportation. A good next step: Updating the zoning codes which require new residential buildings to include off-street parking.
The Mayor’s reduction in the number of placards issued is meaningless if it’s not followed through with enforcement. We cannot get the NYPD and its puppet Traffic Enforcement to ticket/tow illegaly parked cars with placards – even phoney ones. We are a no-permit parking zone (Brooklyn Heights) and the police have literally refused to enforce the rules. We went above our precinct’s captain and found the higher up will not enforce. The Mayor must get the Police Commissioner to penalize those officers who will not enforce the law. Public pressure hasn’t moved them an inch.
Maybe the Mayor should look at who is double parking by the schools. As a former PTA President, it was the parents, not the teachers, causing the congestion at the schools. The placards are necessary in the neighborhoods that are overcrowded with parked cars and residents, as there are still MANY nyc teachers who do not have access to public transportation to get to work. Where are these teachers and educators supposed to park in order to get to school and educate our children???? These were not FREE placards that otherwise would provide money to the city – just appropriate ways to assist educators in having access to schools.
[…] it was cutting parking permits for city employees by 20% — then ended up slashing them by over 50%. New City Planning regulations, proposed in November, would require new buildings to include secure […]
[…] “Curb privileged parking.” In 2001, the city didn’t even know how many parking permits were given out to city employees. Under Bloomberg, the city found that there were over 140,000 permits — and then cut the number issued in half. […]