If you’ve ever been on a street in New York City, then you’ve probably seen the unique dance that is alternate side parking. Under these rules, drivers are required to park on certain sides of a street, but not on other sides, for a period of time each week in order to allow sanitation trucks to clear debris off the street with a mechanical broom.
Alternate Side Parking
If you live in New York City, you know it can be difficult to find parking spots — especially if you’re traveling from one end of the city to the other. This is why the city has developed alternate side parking regulations, which require drivers to shift their cars from one side of the street to another on specific days to allow for street cleaning and maintenance.
While these parking rules may seem like a hassle, they’re essential for keeping streets clean and safe. Driving without them can result in hefty fines and towing fees.
The alternate side parking rules in NYC vary based on location and time of year, so it’s important to understand your area’s specific schedule and plan ahead to avoid fines and towing fees. The Department of Transportation offers a map and calendar on its website that can help you keep track of the alternate side parking regulations in your neighborhood.
In addition to street cleaning times, the ASP schedules also include special “parking holidays” on which the rules are suspended. These include legal and religious holidays, severe weather events, and emergencies.
During these suspensions, you can still park your car on the street, but it won’t be legal. These suspensions can occur anywhere from a few days to a week, and they can be quite confusing for newcomers.
However, you can easily keep track of these suspensions by following the alternate side parking Twitter account (@NYCASP) or by visiting the 311 homepage. You can even set up automatic reminders to help you stay on top of the ASP rules as they evolve.
Once you’ve mastered the alternate side parking rules, you can look forward to a more convenient, less stressful life in the big apple. But don’t be surprised if you start to notice a spike in your parking ticket payments — street cleaning tickets are the city’s most common violation and can be extremely costly, especially if you don’t follow the correct regulations.
The only way to ensure that you don’t get a street cleaning ticket is to pay attention to the ASP schedules. It’s easy to miss a spot when the street cleaner is scheduled to pass, so make sure you move your car before they arrive.
Parking Meters
Parking meters can be found all across New York City and are a crucial part of the daily commute for many drivers. But not all meters function the same and it’s important to know how they work before you park on the streets of New York.
The two types of parking meters in New York City are single space and municipal parking meters, or “muni-meters.” The former are used for single spaces, while the latter are used to pay for a portion of an entire block. Both types of parking meters accept dollar coins, quarters, NYC Parking Cards and some accept credit cards.
Most New York City muni-meters are located on streets and in municipal surface lots. They have a time limit that is displayed on the meter or posted on the sign. A vehicle must leave the area once the time limit is reached or it is considered to be illegally parked and a summons can be issued to the driver in City Court.
Unlike the old school coin activated parking meters, the latest generation of parking meters is called “PARK SMART” and are much more convenient for customers and for the city. They offer a variety of benefits to both the driver and the city including:
In addition, they have a built-in alert system that tells you when your time is up. And, they’re also connected to a smartphone app so you can pay for your time and extend it remotely, up to 120 hours.
Another benefit is that you don’t have to carry around coins or put a receipt on your dashboard. And if you’re a driver on the go, you don’t have to worry about getting soaked in rain or running back to the meter.
Parking meters in New York City are operated by the Department of Transportation. They regulate traffic and help to keep the city clean, safe, and livable. But they aren’t without their challenges, and this is why the department is looking to evolve them into a new system that is more closely aligned with land use and parking demand in both Manhattan and the outer boroughs.
Metered Parking
Parking meters can be found on both sides of streets and in municipal surface lots throughout the city. They accept coins, NYC Parking Cards and a variety of credit cards. In addition, the ParkNYC app allows drivers to quickly pay for parking with their mobile device.
There are two types of parking meters in New York City: single space parking meters and municipal parking meters, also known as muni-meters. The former accepts a variety of coins, while the latter is more secure and can be used to pay for both short-term and long-term parking.
Typically, metered rates vary by neighborhood and street. The NYC DOT provides an official meter rate map. For specifics, check posted signage or the meter.
Metered parking regulations are designed to encourage turnover and promote traffic flow. They also help to improve parking space availability and promote public safety.
When using a meter, motorists must follow the time limit indicated by signs or displayed on a meter. Unless otherwise noted, all time limits are in effect from 9AM to 6PM Monday through Saturday. If a vehicle exceeds the time limit, it is subject to a ticket.
Commercial vehicles, whether they are trucks or vans, are required to purchase parking at the appropriate meter and display a receipt on their dashboards. Those operating buses, whether for tours or private pickups, must follow the same rules.
Most metered parking in Manhattan is free on Sundays and certain holidays, but some areas may charge a fee. The price varies by area, but generally, the lowest rates are in Midtown and Downtown.
During special events or when there is construction, meter rates may be altered, and prices for commercial vehicles are higher. These rates can be seen on meter signage or in the ParkNYC app.
When it comes to meter parking, the most important thing is to follow the laws and pay the appropriate rate. If you violate the law, it can cost you a lot of money. In addition, it can be a frustrating experience. Avoid this by following these simple tips and you’ll be parking without hassle in no time!
Enforcement
NYC parking regulations can be confusing and intimidating. Fortunately, there are a few ways to stay on top of your street parking rules and avoid parking tickets.
First, check to see whether you are allowed to park in an area regulated by a red or yellow sign. A red sign means you can’t park in that space at all, while a yellow one means the parking restriction is only in effect for that time frame.
Second, look for signs depicting a sanitation broom symbol. These indicate that you should move your car from the opposite side of the street for a few hours each day.
This is a very simple but effective way to make sure that your car isn’t parked on the wrong side of the road for long periods of time. Even if you are just visiting, it’s worth the extra effort to follow these rules because if your car is caught illegally parked on the wrong side of the street, it can be towed or fined.
Finally, you should also keep track of when parking rules are suspended on certain holidays. This will give you a few extra days or even weeks to enjoy your curbside spot without getting a ticket.
For example, ASP rules suspend on most national and state holidays as well as religious holy days observed by an ethnic or religious group. Some of these are easily identified and celebrated, while others are less well known but still important.
The same goes for suspensions on snowstorms. The city tries to keep cars off the streets during storms so that plows can get around and clean up as quickly as possible.
However, some storms are so bad that the city will suspend its sweeping efforts for an entire day or more. After the storm is over, ASP rules will be enforced again so that plows can begin removing snow from the parking lanes and help to restore normal street cleaning operations.
For a full schedule of street sweeping times, you can refer to the New York City Department of Sanitation’s website. You can also find out if ASP is in effect on your street by calling 311 or downloading the app NYC311.
