Senator Daniel Squadron and Assemblywoman Joan Millman have drafted a bill that would require car owners to buy permits to legally park in Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, and Boerum Hill. The proposal would allow the city to sell the residential parking permits to drivers, but would keep commercial streets open for metered parking. This would benefit residents downtown Brooklyn communities, which are popular places for commuters from further into Brooklyn to park their cars during the workday to have a shorter subway trip into Manhattan. The money raised from the permits would be transferred to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to use on subway and bus improvements.
The Brooklyn Paper: “We can accomplish two vital goals at once: reducing traffic congestion and funding mass transit,” said Squadron. “Residents will be able to park near their homes without circling endlessly for a space, and eight million New Yorkers will benefit from a new funding stream for subways and buses.”
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Mayor Bloomberg would have delivered relief from this alleged vehicular plague last year as part of his congestion pricing plan. But that proposal failed and the administration says it does not support implementing the permit system by itself.
“Any residential permit parking program should be part of a larger congestion reduction strategy, such as what was proposed alongside congestion pricing,” said Seth Solomonow, a spokesperson for the Department of Transportation. “Without such a plan, we don’t believe this bill will actually solve neighborhood parking problems.”
On a technical level, Squadron and Millman’s bill is a necessary first step towards parking permits, which would require state approval. The bill has the support of Councilman David Yassky (D–Brooklyn Heights), who has long sought residential permits.
Now I would need to pay to park near my home? I do it now everyday for free. Ugh.
Now I would need to pay to park near my home? I do it now everyday for free. Ugh.
Yes, that’s the point — you use a public resource (the streets) for free to store your private property (your car), so you’ve been getting a free ride for years.
Keep in mind, though, that if you actually live in the neighborhood this should benefit you as it will mean more parking spaces, since people not from the neighborhood won’t be able to get the passes and hence won’t park there anymore.
I fail to see how this is going to alleviate congestion. If neighborhoods allow only residents to park on streets, won’t that force all non residents and commercial traffic into fairly narrow opportunities for legal parking? In turn, won’t that create more congestion on major thoroughfares?
From my perspective, I find parking in Cobble Hill to be one of the nicest perks about living in Cobble Hill. The alternate sides are very relaxed, and generally speaking, I have little trouble finding a spot within a three block radius of my address. In theory I understand the logic of what they’re doing, but the bottom line affect will be an extra fee I’m not used to paying, extra cost and hassle when parking in neighborhoods I’m _not_ a resident in, and inconvenience for friends or relatives who may want to visit.
I think permit parking would be extremely beneficial for a neighborhood like Park Slope, where I usually circle a 2-5 block radius for up to 2 hours looking for a parking space. People that frequent Prospect Park or 7th ave from other areas should use public transportation rather than create more congestion on a residential block where I pay to live.
Stefan – “A free ride for years”..are you serious? So, I guess I should also pay tolls to drive my car down the streets of Cobble Hill as well? After all, my private property (my car) is taking advantage of a public resource (the streets). Why stop there? Let’s look at all of the other “free rides” I’ve been getting ….sidewalks, parks, corner trash cans, the Promenade …perhaps I should be charged a periodic fee every time I want to take a walk, sit on a park bench or toss a piece of trash. Hmmm.
I do not have an issue with parking in the area. I always find a spot on my block or right around the corner. I see no issue with available spaces, and if I did, I’d support charging the people that DO NOT live in the area rather than charging the people that do.
Stefan- In what other neighborhood in Brooklyn do you need a paid permit for parking on the street? You speak about it as if it is the norm in most places. In fact the only NYC neighborhood I can think of is Forest Hills Gardens that has this sort of thing.
Why in the world is this money going to the MTA? Can’t we attempt to keep that money in the neighborhood?
This is all I have to say. After 8 years of living in Cobble Hill there’s nothing more obnoxious, time consuming, and frustrating than driving around and around the blocks on a Sunday night for hours on end to find NO parking spots. Worse, I live near Long Island College Hospital and PS 29 so all the hospital workers and teachers park in my neighborhood leaving no available parking spots during the day. I have to move my car twice a week for street cleaning and if I don’t do it between the hours of 3pm-6pm I”m totally screwed having to drive round and round and round the block praying that SOMEONE will pull out of the correct side of the street so I don’t have to waste my time the next morning, double parking the car hoping not to get a ticket. Then, having to go move the car again across the street. I used to pay my neighbor $40 a month to move my car back when I had money before the recession but I can’t do it anymore. So, I would be sooooooooooooo willing to pay a monthly fee so I can park my damn car on my street!!!
I am very supportive of this proposal, too. Perhaps, we can get rid of the people with out-of state plates that take up about 35%-40% of the spots on my block in Cobble Hill.
I think this would be a great idea if it actually worked. I personally would not mind paying a fee to ensure that I not circle my Carroll Gardens neighborhood for 30 mins. at night trying to find a parking spot. Unfortunately, like most city programs I think this would not work properly but I have my fingers crossed.
My only question is where would all the non-resident cars be parked? there are not enough meter parking spots in these neighborhood.
I am all for it for Brooklyn Heights. Our neighborhood is used as a free parking lot for people come from all over to use the train to Manhattan as well as for the courts downtown. Parking for residents is a nightmare.