Upper Manhattan Pols Want Parking Permits For Congestion Pricing

MANHATTAN, NY — With Mayor Bill de Blasio and Gov. Andrew Cuomo united in support of congestion pricing for New York City, Upper Manhattan City Council representatives are renewing a call for residential parking permits in their neighborhoods

Four city councilmembers introduced legislation in 2018 that would establish a parking permit system that would give residents living north of 60th street to the tip of Manhattan in Inwood. Legislators fear that drivers hoping to avoid congestion pricing fees in the borough's major business districts will flock to these areas for parking.

"As momentum continues to build for the creation of a desperately needed congestion pricing program to fund public transit, now more than ever, the City needs to address the prevailing issue of suburban commuters dumping their cars in our neighborhoods, only to transfer to the subway on their way downtown," Councilmember Mark Levine said in a statement.

Levine is sponsoring the bill with Helen Rosenthal, Keith Powers and Diana Ayala. Collectively, the four members represent parts each neighborhood in Manhattan above 60th Street except for Inwood. Councilmember Ydanis Rodriguez, who represents Inwood, also supports residential parking permits.

The bill's sponsors claim that New York City is the only major cities in the country that does not have a residential parking permit system.

The proposed legislation would require the city Department of Transportation to designate up to 80 percent of parking spaces in residential blocks for people who live in that neighborhood. Streets zoned for commercial use would not be affected by the parking permit system.

The legislation will also require the DOT to:

• Hold public hearings at neighborhood community boards before implementing parking permits;
• Issued permits only to people with a New York State driver's license and a New York City permanent residence;
• Assign permits to specific license plate numbers;
• Limit permits to one per licensed driver.

The last public hearing to discuss the proposed legislation was held in June 2018 within the City Council's transportation committee, legislative records show.