Friday, April 29, 2011

New Bills Make Clean Sweep Of City Parking Rules

New Bills Make Clean Sweep Of City Parking Rules

By: Michael Herzenberg

 
The City Council passed two bills Thursday that will help local drivers find parking.

The first bill gives streets that achieve a 90 percent "clean" rating for two years in a row the option of having one less day of alternate-side parking per week.

The Department of Sanitation could restore a full cleaning schedule for any streets that fall in their cleanliness ratings.

"Sometimes less is more and if the streets are clean enough maybe we can divert those Sanitation resources to other neighborhoods,” said City Council Speaker Christine Quinn.

“It does make a difference. It is about quality of life,” said Brooklyn Councilwoman Sara M. González.

The alternate side of the street parking reduction would go into effect immediately, and almost half the city's 59 Community Board districts would qualify.

The second bill creates an online, interactive guide that gives users specific information on street closures and parking regulations. That includes parking problems because of block parties, movie shoots or even crane operations.

“When the city is planning street closures, there's no reason why the people on the block should be the last to know,” said Manhattan Councilman Dan Garodnick.

The council is also keeping the cap of the number of city pedicabs at 850.

There will be stricter regulations and more severe penalties for peddlers who do not have working seat belts and brakes. Pedicab drivers will also have to follow many of the same parking rules that regulate motor vehicles.

“We're at our saturation point,” said Garodnick. "The city created no parking zones for a reason and not so they can be free parking for pedicabs."

The mayor plans to sign the bills on all these changes.

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