Alt Side Reform Still a Mystery?

Last year, Mayor DiBlasio instituted an "Alternate Side Parking Reform." What this reform meant was explained in a press conference where the Reform was defined as applying to "side streets." 

The Dept. of Sanitation (DSNY), which is the real maker of the Street Sweeping rules, made its own announcement. The DSNY posting stated the Reform applies to "residential streets." 

It should be no surprise that the elaborate and complex parking rules of New York City can not be easily modifed by a few carefully worded paragraphs. I had questions. I submitted multiple queries to the DSNY, but their replies have only sent me to the same links or reiterated those same links that raised my first questions.

Now, they don't even respond to my queries and any record of queries EC-00250672 or EC-00296950 has been expunged on the DSNY web site. 

This is query EC-00296950 that the DSNY web site now says never existed in a time that never was:

I am looking for clarification of the Alt Side Reform announced by the Mayor and on your DSNY site. 

 

For example:

In the NYCDOT announcement (and in the Mayor’s press release), we are told “On days when ASP is in effect, residential "side streets" without meters will not be cleaned more than once a week on each side.” 

 

QUESTION 1: There are many Avenues (not “side streets”) where only Alt Side Parking (ASP) is in effect, but they are not “side streets.” (1) Does the Alt Side Reform apply here?

 

QUESTION 2A, 2B and 2C: 

Please see the attached image from the NYC Zoning and Land Use Map for a definition of Commercial and Residential areas. 

There are many Avenue blocks that are “residential” and “side streets” that appear to be “commercial” that have ASP rules.
 

(2A) Does the Alt Side Reform apply here? (2B) How are we to tell what is a “commercial” and what is a “residential” block (or street)?  

 

(2C) How does the Dept of Sanitation (and Ticket Agents) tell what is a “commercial” and what is a “residential” block (or street)? 

 

We know Parking and Alternate Side Rules extend for the block unless contradicted by other signs and/or regulations:

QUESTION 3: Your FAQ says “Non-metered streets that have multiple ASP days will be cleaned” (3) Does the “Reform” apply to the entire block if there are a just a few meters on one end or does it ONLY apply to the area of the block with meters? Another way of asking this is when you refer to “streets” do you consider each block as a unit or do you look at any smaller “metered areas” as separate? 

QUESTION 4: How will it be announced if the city decides to revert to the physical signs posted and not to this “Reform?” 

 

Thank you for taking the time to address these specific questions. Your answers will benefit our users and readers.

 

This EC-00296950 query has not been responded to and according to the DSNY site does not exist in their records.

 

The problem is when you or I try to interpret these relaxed rules, we cannot always be sure a Ticket Agent will see it the same way. Then it's pay the fine (and tow) or face the implacable NYCDOT  judges.

 

I believe we need a better explanation.

Happy Holidays!

 

Alternate Side Parking During Covid and the parkken app

On September 18, 2020, Mayor DiBlasio announced Covid-related, once-a-week street cleaning rules will remain in effect until further notice:

• Residential (side streets) without meters will be cleaned no more than once per week, per side.
•  Residential streets that have multiple Alternate Side Parking “ASP” days on each side will be cleaned – with vehicles required to be moved – only on the latest day in the week on each side, as indicated on each street’s currently posted signage.
• The posted street sign rules continue to be interpreted in the parkken app. For the relaxed restrictions, please doublecheck signs when you park.
  
• Daily sweeping regulations in metered areas will not change, and the DSNY will continue cleaning streets with posted No Standing, No Stopping and No Parking regulations as needed.
• These reforms to Alternate Side Parking (ASP) will be in place until further notice.

When do I have to move my car?

For any residential street with Alternate Side Parking regulations, the regulations will be in effect only on the latest day posted on the sign on each side of the street.   Alternate side parking regulations are indicated by a “Sanitation Broom Symbol” on the street sign.

For example, as seen in Fig (1) above, if one side of the street has ASP regulations on Monday from 11:00am – 12:30pm, that side of the street will continue to be swept on Monday (the latest day posted) from 11:00am – 12:30pm. 

As seen in Fig (2) above, if another side of the street has ASP regulations on Thursday from 11:00am – 12:30pm, that side of the street will continue to be swept on Thursday (the latest day posted) at those times.

If, as seen in Fig (3) above, one side of the street has ASP regulations on Monday and Thursday from 11:00am – 12:30pm, that side of the street will be swept on Thursday only (the latest day posted) and you only have to move your car on Thursday.

In another example, if the ASP sign says one side of the street is cleaned on Tuesdays and Fridays from 11:00am – 12:30pm, you only have to move your car from that side of the street on Friday.

Does this apply to metered areas?

No. Daily sweeping in metered areas, including 30-minute parking restrictions Monday through Saturday in metered areas, will not change. Parking meters remain in effect.

Does this affect other parking regulations?

This change only affects street sweeping regulations, indicated by the Sanitation Broom Symbol. This change does not affect No Stopping or No Standing restrictions, or No Parking areas that do not have the Sanitation Broom Symbol. These changes do not includes areas with posted restrictions other than ASP rules.

Since the Alternate Side Parking Regulation signs have not been altered to reflect these announced changes, we expect the ASP rules will return to the posted signage rules once the effects of the pandemic have worn off.

 

For further explanation or updates to these reforms, please go to NYCDOT.

Please also look and listen to your local news for announcements from the Dept of Transportation for any updates of these Covid reforms.

The Great Parking Sign Redesign [click for demo of new Parking Signs]

Most of us who park in this city have had a chance to see the parking signs redesign that started last year. Slowly the familiar signs are being replaced by something a little newer, a little cleaner, its look a little more modern.

The Old and the New

True the old signs are wearing, and something more closely resembling New York Fun World, the ultimate tourist destination is worth the enormous price of orders generated, raw materials expended, signs manufactured, work crews dispersed, not to mention the inevitable repairs and fixes, etc, right? But I personally am not loving this new design enough to justify the huge expense and if New York really dreams of being a tourist mecca where pedestrians are safe, traffic is systematically choked off our streets and people of all nationalities will actually understand our traffic rules, then why not use a parking signage that is immediately understood across all languages. Something international and intuitive. Like for a simple Alternate Side parking Sign:

Read it as a sweep of the hour hand.

Ok, I admit this is my design, my solution for simplifying parking rules in a city where understanding where to park is worse than a word problem. And it works very well for our parallelspaces.com parking map app, but by itself is probably not enough. So how about this:

Offered at a low low price

It is immediately understandable, universal in its appeal and also speaks in plain English in case you didn’t get it the first time.

You made it this far. Why not check out a short demo of new Parking Signs?

Parking Scofflaws We Hate (a never ending series)

Why can't we just all learn to share?

How NOT to Double Park, Please!

Is it true that some New Yorkers still don't know how to double park?
It's simple: If any of the vehicles legally parked at the curb cannot get out because of your vehicle, you deserve that ticket.

You, who doesn't care, won't share or is ignorantly unaware, this simple graphic is for you:

Don't box someone in!

Duh!

More Traffic Cams (the merrier)

For those of us who love a sure thing, wunderground.com has consolidated the NY DOT Traffic Cams with those of other citizens or businesses to give a better picture of how traffic is running around the city. It also predicts current weather with incredible accuracy:
http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/getForecast?query=10081

Another interface of the same grouping is through weather.com:
http://www.weather.com/weather/today/New+York+NY+10025:4:US

 

More is better!