Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Congestion Pricing

Has Time Run Out on the Parking Placard “Crackdown”?


Chinatown, December 2007: As good as it gets?


Early this year, Mayor Bloomberg's office announced across-the-board reductions in the number of government-issued parking placards that could be allotted to city employees. And while the city looks to be following through with the cuts -- to the chagrin of some among the entitled motoring class -- WNYC reports that Lower Manhattan is still flooded with illegally parked vehicles.

Despite new standardized placard designs and a highly publicized sweep against scofflaws in April, a recent tour of Chinatown by reporter Matthew Schuerman and Transportation Alternatives' Wiley Norvell found scores of cars sporting slapdash pseudo-permits, and very few of them bearing tickets. Norvell says that enforcement is still lax, but a spokesperson from the mayor's office told Schuerman that NYPD is doing a "very good job."

Did the Bloomberg "crackdown" on free parking for government employees expire with congestion pricing? 

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

I Tried to Hate-Ride a Waymo. Turns Out, I Loved It

And therein lies the problem with the autonomous vehicle revolution.

November 24, 2024

Crossing the T’s: State Finally Signs Federal Agreement To Start Congestion Pricing

She can't back out this time — though there still are some court hurdles to leap.

November 22, 2024

Friday’s Headlines: City of Yes Edition

There was only one story yesterday: The embattled mayor succeeded in passing what might become the signature initiative of his one term. But there was other news, too.

November 22, 2024

Analysis: Mayor Gets the ‘W,’ But Council Turns His Zoning Plan into ‘City Of Yes … Sort Of’

The City Council took a crucial step towards passing City of Yes, but it also let low density areas opt out of much of the plan.

November 22, 2024
See all posts