Today in parking feats on 7th Street

Photo by Derek Berg

Monday's parting parallel parking shots

As seen yesterday (top pic) and today on St. Mark's Place...

Giving Tuesday: the return of twice-a-week alternate side parking

Starting today (Tuesday!), the city's full alternate-side parking rules return after a two-year pandemic hiatus. 

As Gothamist reported, for these past two years, drivers only needed to move their cars once for street cleaning, "rather than the two designated days typically required in many neighborhoods." 

Also per Gothamist: 

The reversal comes as Mayor Eric Adams attempts to address frequent complaints about trash and dirty streets, and an increase in the rat population. Kickstarting the program also fully restores a reliable revenue generator for the city. Most available statistics from the city comptroller’s office show the city generated $515 million in annual revenue from parking fines in Fiscal Year 2016, a steady increase compared to prior years. A parking ticket for ignoring ASP rules can cost $65. 

Speaking of revenue, EVG regular Spike shared this photo today from a lovely tree-lined East Village street... showing consecutive parked cars with new tickets on the windshields. 

Parking removed on sections of Avenues A and D; curbside bus lanes set for M14 service

Earlier this month, the city removed the parking signs and Muni Meters from along the west side of Avenue A (between Sixth Street to Houston) and sections of Avenue D.

In their place: No Standing signs. Parking is no longer allowed between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. seven days a week in these select corridors ... 

This is one of the transit improvements the city announced as part of the "Better Buses Restart" campaign in May 2021. Per then-Mayor de Blasio's announcement during "Streets Week!" at the time:

Both new and improved bus lanes will serve bus riders citywide, with changes including new red paint and markings, signals improvements, pedestrian safety and clearer signage. 

The city identified the M14A and M14D as a "bus priority" in 2019... when the 14th Street Busway went into effect between Third Avenue and Ninth Avenue. (According to the city, the Busway improved bus travel times by 36%, among other improvements.)

Still, according to the city, speeds on the 14A and 14D are consistently slow throughout the day and early evening. (DOT presentation from June 2021 here.)

Moving forward, the southbound side of Avenue A (from Fifth to Houston) will receive a curbside bus lane; ditto for Avenue D between Second and Seventh going south... and from Houston to Ninth on the north. 

There will also be enhancements for the bus lines below Houston, including new left-turn bays.

No word on when the DOT will mark these bus lanes. (They were originally slated for last summer/fall.)

The "Better Buses Restart" campaign drew praise from transit advocates last year.

"Prioritizing bus riders on the street is a must for New York City's recovery," Ben Fried, comms director for the TransitCenter, said in a statement. "DOT's slate of bus projects will be especially helpful to essential workers and Black and brown New Yorkers, who make most of the bus trips in the city. As traffic returns to city streets, it's extremely important to complete these projects, carve out space for transit to bypass congestion, and ensure millions of New Yorkers can rely on the bus."

Fox 5 last week found an annoyed LES resident who received a $115 ticket on his vehicle after the parking change went into effect along Avenue D. The resident disputed the claim that the DOT left flyers about the changes for residents. 

Thanks to Steven for the photos.

9th Precinct now issuing tickets to anyone parking in Neighborhood Loading Zones

Here's a warning for anyone who continues to park long-term in Neighborhood Loading Zones. 

The NYPD is now writing tickets for anyone who uses the Department of Transportation's recently added Neighborhood Loading Zones around the East Village for anything other than quick pick-ups and drop-offs.

From 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, these spaces are reserved for activities such as: 

• Package deliveries by commercial vehicles 

• Taxi and car service pick-up and drop-off

• Active loading and unloading of personal vehicles 

However, given the number of people parking long-term in these spots during the week, the 9th Precinct and the Manhattan Traffic Enforcement Unit recently started enforcing violations to noncommercial plate vehicles in these spaces. 

"We'd rather educate and inform people than write summonses," Officer Eugene Adeleye at the 9th Precinct told EVG correspondent Stacie Joy. "We've been getting complaints from residents and we will be actively writing summons to violators." 

Previously, the NYPD would issue tickets in these spots, but it was mainly at the discretion of the officer/traffic agents. 

As for commercial vehicles that continue to double-park on the street and block a bike lane, Adeleye said: "The trucks loading and unloading are not supposed to interfere with bike lanes, and if they do that is a violation, and they may get tickets themselves." 

Adeleye also said that he was sympathetic to residents upset at the loss of parking spots in recent years, from outdoor dining structures to Citi Bike docking stations.

"We are only doing this based on complaints we've received with no intention of giving anyone a hard time — that's why we are trying to educate people as much as we can," he said. "I feel like if people are aware, then they might be able to avoid getting an unnecessary summons."

A Neighborhood Loading Zone for this block of 9th Street

Photos by Steven

On Saturday, the Department of Transportation (DOT) added a Neighborhood Loading Zone on the north side of Ninth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue...

From 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, these spaces are reserved for activities such as:

• Package deliveries by commercial vehicles 

• Taxi and car service pick-up and drop-off 

• Active loading and unloading of personal vehicles

The program "aims to reduce double parking on narrow residential streets by providing space at the curb," per the DOT website. 

As Streetsblog recently reported, the DOT "is now required by law to install at least 500 loading zones annually to mitigate the boom in deliveries." 

Last summer, the city added loading zones on several sidestreets as part of the new Avenue C bike lanes. 

You can suggest a Neighborhood Loading Zone online here.

Noted

As seen on Seventh Street near Cooper Square. 

And first spotted last evening by @StandingsNYC...

Read this if you parked along Avenue C right now

An EVG reader shared this following... 

We parked our car on Avenue C between Fourth and Fifth this weekend. We should not have had to move it until street cleaning on Friday. We are vigilant about checking for parking signs and warnings, hate tickets. We were good to go. 

Yesterday afternoon I even went to the car to grab something — everything still fine. Last night around 10 I went to walk the dog and saw massive road work being done all along Avenue C. They were towing cars out like it was a parade. I managed to run home and grab my keys to move my car JUST in time. 

Usually, when this happens, [the city] places signs up at least a day before to warn people. But for last night's work, this was not the case. Here's a pic [above!] of a paper sign closest to my car — it's still crisp and dry meaning it wasn’t put up until AFTER the rain late yesterday afternoon. 

How does the city get away with acting like this? I can’t imagine how many poor people came out to their cars this morning to find them missing. There were SO many cars to be towed because NO ONE had any idea because the city gave NO notice this would happen. Outrageous. 

And the work is set to happen again tonight.

But today the signs were all ripped down again. So people may have parked there today and will be towed tonight. Would be great to warn them.

Noted

Parking in the time of curbside dining. As seen this morning on Avenue A at Sixth Street. 

Still working out the html kinks on the new Blogger content tool. Testing, testing.

Friday's parting shot

Tight parking on Seventh Street today via Derek Berg...

A waste of space: 10th Street still waiting for the garbage trucks to move on

In the past three-plus months, residents and business owners on 10th Street haven't heard much, if anything, from city officials about the garbage trucks that have been parked on the block just west of First Avenue since September.

"Nothing has been done and garbage trucks continue to park on 10th Street," said resident Michelle Lang, who noted one minor improvement — there are sometimes just three trucks here instead of seven. "But the quality of life and safety concerns that the wall of garbage trucks create remain."



As I first reported on Sept. 18, the DSNY is using part of 10th Street for up to seven trucks. The DSNY no longer has use of their garage at 606 W. 30th St., and are relocating their fleet elsewhere.

This move — apparently done without consultation with Community Board 3 — sparked numerous complaints this past fall from residents and merchants alike who have called out the problems with the smell, noise and negative impact on business.

Before Theater for the New City moved into its current home at 155 First Ave. near 10th Street in the late 1980s, the Department of Sanitation (DSNY) used the building for storage. As Off the Grid noted in a 2012 feature, "When the Theater for the New City purchased the former First Avenue Retail Market building there was stipulation that they had to still share part of the space with the Sanitation Department for a time."

Pinks, the bar-restaurant at 242 E. 10th St., is the business most directly impacted by the parked trucks.

In a recent email, owner Avi Burn said that the trucks still provide "a pretty nasty backdrop for customers looking out the windows."

And he doesn't really feel as if the issue is still on anyone's radar.

"It's on their radar like a nagging house fly would be on someone's radar," he said. "I don't believe anyone truly cares but they are forced to respond to us when we make noise about it. Yet, no solutions have been presented to us."

On Jan. 11, the Mayor’s Office held a meeting with Sen. Brad Hoylman, Assembly Member Deborah Glick, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, City Councilmember Carlina Rivera, CB3 District Manager Susan Stetzer, a representative from Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney’s office and representatives from the DSNY, the Department of Transportation and the Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit.

As I understand it, the meeting was, in part, to find a solution to the parking issue. The elected officials were said to be upset by the lack of movement with finding a new location for the fleet. In the end, the DSNY agreed to further explore alternatives and move the trucks, but they have not finalized a timeline.

A rep for Sen. Hoylman told me this: "We are awaiting information from the DSNY and will continue to work together to forge a solution."

Previously on EV Grieve:
Questions and concerns as the sanitation department begins using 10th Street to park garbage trucks

More trash talk about those garbage trucks parked on 10th Street

Local elected officials continue to press city for alternatives to parking garbage trucks on 10th Street; muggings now a concern

Noted

Some residents are really ready to have this VW removed from Seventh Street between Avenue A and First Avenue.

Anyone know how long the car, with the handmade "tow me" messages, has been here?

The city tagged the car for "investigation and removal by N.Y.P.D. rotation tow" on May 13...



Photos by Derek Berg

Stunt parking rules are now in effect on East 7th Street

[As previously noted via Derek Berg]

As previously noted, several motorists had the ability to capably maneuver an impressive shoehorn parking job between the dumpsters on East Seventh Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

Well, no more, stunt parkers... there is now some kind of rope fence in place...



This should help you...

East 7th Street maintaining rep for stunt parking

Previously! Between the dumpsters on East Seventh Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue...



EVG Tight Parking Spot correspondent Derek Berg also shared this photo on East Seventh Street ... this time between Avenue A and First Avenue...

Tonight in fairly incredible parking jobs

Between the dumpsters on East Seventh Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue... photo via Derek Berg

1 explanation for that lousy parking job on East 11th Street

EVG reader mdmn spotted this parking job on East 11th Street near Amsterdam Billiards at Fourth Avenue yesterday afternoon.

Just an awful parking effort by someone in a rush to play pool?

The car was parked directly across from the the delivery gates at the Cooper Station Post Office.

Hey, there's a note.



Perhaps the force of the collision forced the car up on the sidewalk?



Other theories welcome, probably.

Unparalleled parking on East 7th Street

Photo by Derek Berg

Report: Misdemeanor assault charge in East 14th Street parking-space punch case‎

A Manhattan jury this morning convicted Oscar Fuller of misdemeanor assault for punching a woman in an argument over an East Village parking space in February 2011, the Post reported.

The jury acquitted Fuller, an electrician in Queens, of felony assault for punching Bronx resident Lana Rosas in the ensuing argument. He could serve up to one year in jail. The judge will sentence Fuller on June 13, the Post noted.

Rosas was reportedly in a coma for nine days. According to her mother, "Rosas is still struggling with brain injuries, unable to work or drive, and her life revolves around her therapy sessions."

Fuller's first trial ended in a mistrial last November. He has said that he was defending himself. Rosas was standing in the space on East 14th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B to save the spot for her boyfriend.

[Photo by DNAinfo/Patrick Hedlund]

Report: Altercation over East 14th Street parking spot heads to trial

As you may recall from this past February, a dispute over a parking spot on East 14th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B left a woman in a coma. According to published reports, the man charged with hitting the woman now has an Oct. 24 trial date. The man, 35-year-old Oscar Fuller, has said that he was defending himself. The woman, who is in her mid 20s, was reportedly standing in the space to save the spot for her boyfriend. (CBS New York)

Verizon's Second Avenue parking monopoly

Second Avenue at 13th Street. At least they're not parking in the bike lanes....