City Councilman Proposes New Rules To Alternate Side Parking
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- New York City drivers could get a break when it comes to alternate-side-of-the-street parking rules.
Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez, D-Washington Heights/Inwood, has introduced a bill that would allow drivers to park on a street again after a street sweeper has moved through.
Currently on alternate-side days, drivers muset move their cars for periods of time -- generally 90 minutes to two hours -- to allow for street sweeping, and anyone caught parking during those times could be ticketed.
"I double-park at 9, and a little before 10, I move it back to the other side of the street," said Park Slope resident Barbara Rothenberger.
But soon drivers like Rothenberger may not have to contend with the hassle of finding parking.
Rodriguez wants GPS technology to help ticket agents see which streets have already been swept.
"This is about saving time, money," Rodriguez told CBS 2's Don Champion. "This is about helping our environment, and it's a common sense solution."
While some critics have questioned if the proposal is feasible, many drivers say they just want relief.
"Most of the time, people take a chance anyway," said Park Slope resident Mike Wallschlaeger. "I've seen people getting tickets even though the street sweeper has come by."
In a statement, the Department of Sanitation said it "would fully review and evaluate the impact on street cleaning since mechanical brooms often have to revisit streets where cars have not moved."
Rodriguez, who unsuccessfully proposed the same changes a few years ago, said he hopes a hearing will be scheduled for the bill in the next few weeks.
Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito's office also said it would conduct a full review of the process, WCBS 880's Alex Silverman reported.
A spokesman for Bill de Blasio said the mayor's office would like to know about how enforcement would work.
The proposal could put a dent in revenue generated from alternate-side parking tickets, which last year totaled $70 million.
"It will save money because millions of people will be able to go to work, sleep," Rodriguez told Silverman.
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