Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
DOT

NYC Cedes Newly Upgraded Inwood Crosswalk to Placard-Abusing City Employees

DOT says it’s up to NYPD to keep placard holders from parking in this crosswalk, where an NYPD placard-holder was parked Tuesday.

Placard abusers will be given free rein to park in a recently created no-parking zone that's supposed to improve pedestrian safety at an Inwood crossing.

DOT upgraded the unmarked crossing at Seaman Avenue and W. 214th Street, between Inwood Hill Park and Isham Park, over the summer. As part of the project, a curbside parking spot on the east side of Seaman was converted to a no standing zone to make people crossing the street more visible to motorists.

Naturally, city employees with parking placards soon began storing cars in the no standing zone. A Human Resources Administration staffer was directed to stop parking a city-owned vehicle there after Streetsblog brought attention to it. But that only cleared the way for other placard abusers to commandeer the space, like the driver of this SUV with a 44th Precinct placard, who was parked there shortly after dawn on Tuesday.

In practice, the placard system is less about facilitating government business than enabling government employees -- or anyone with an NYPD hat or vest on their dashboard, for that matter -- to ignore rules that are supposed to keep crosswalks, bus stops, delivery zones, and other areas clear of motor vehicles. Despite lip service from Mayor de Blasio about cracking down on placard abuse, a New York City parking permit remains a license to park virtually anywhere without fear of getting a ticket.

Image: DOT
How the improved crosswalk is supposed to work. Image: DOT
Image: DOT

The situation at the Inwood crosswalk shows how the placard system is directly at odds with DOT safety projects. To speed up implementation, DOT often employs low-cost materials, like road markings, that placard holders know they can disregard with impunity. So rather than helping people cross the street without being hit by a driver, a daylighting zone becomes a de facto reserved parking spot for anyone with a placard.

Despite multiple documented incidents of illegal parking in the short time since the project was completed, DOT has no plans to fortify the new Seaman crosswalk with flex posts or other physical barriers to keep drivers out.

“The markings and signage clearly indicate no standing," DOT told Streetsblog. "We are coordinating with NYPD, as this is an enforcement issue."

Because getting police to discipline their own always works out.

214suv2

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

New Bill Would Block Apps From Deactivating Workers Without Cause

A Brooklyn Council member wants delivery app companies to be more human and less robot.

July 18, 2025

Friday Video: Is Berlin a Great Biking City?

Have recent moves by anti-bike, pro-car legislators ruined the experience in the capital of a unified Germany? Sort of!

July 18, 2025

Eyes on the Street: Meeker Avenue Bike Lane Is a Failure

The Department of Transportation still hasn't finished a critical bike lane under the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway that the agency has been stalling for over four years even after identifying the strip's danger and lack of proper signals.

July 18, 2025

Friday’s Headlines: Cuomo’s Road Rage Edition

Why does Andrew Cuomo drive so recklessly? Plus other news.

July 18, 2025

Fixing Third Ave. Was Once ‘Top of List’ For Eric Adams — But as Mayor He Backed Off

Mayor Adams has delayed a redesign of Brooklyn's Third Avenue despite once saying safety fixes there should be "at the top of our list."

July 17, 2025

Thursday’s Headlines: Jerry Nadler Edition

U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler faced off with Sean Duffy on Capitol Hill. Plus more news.

July 17, 2025
See all posts