NYC’s alternate side parking regulations back in force as weather improves

March 13, 2014

Perhaps the only upside to the bad weather inflicted by snowstorm in New York was the suspension of alternate side parking regulations for 22 days. However, the good times are over as city officials resumed regulations due to much of the snow being cleared or melted away.

The Department of Transportation (DoT) says that it will be easier to clear the remaining snow now that cars will be following the alternate parking rules again. Some drivers are happy about the restoration of regulations, others are not so enthused.

snowed in cars NYC

Snowed in cars did not have to be moved to the other side of the street for street cleaning. Image by garrettmurray.

“It’s so gross, I mean it’s so hard walking around with the piles of trash and all this stuff everywhere, it’s been driving me absolutely crazy, so I’m really happy that they started,” says West Village resident Tiffany Leung.

“Moving the car twice a week can be a hassle in terms of work, so it’s been really good to not have to move the car for a few weeks,” says driver Richard Vernon of the West Village.

Plow crews back in action

The DoT plows could not “cut through the thick, icy buildup without several warm days to help melt the buildup,” says Vito Turso, department spokesman. Now, besides street cleaners, the DoT is using plowers to clear the snow and the trash that had piled up.

Vehicles that were parked against the alternate parking rules were swiftly ticketed as well. The cleanup is continuing until things get back to normal.

Fine collection reduced

The city rakes in $270,000 in fines daily for violations of the alternate parking rule, according to the Finance Department. However, this revenue stream was affected in January, with violations issued (41,505) dipping by more than half compared to the same month last year (95,938). With bad weather seeing suspension of the alternate parking rule for twenty-eight days in the past two months, the city lost $7.5 million in revenue.

 

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Category: Regulations

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