Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Athletes and Celebrities

Don’t Blame Only Alec Baldwin for Parking Fight — Blame Free Parking!

Alec Baldwin playing Donald Trump on “SNL.” Photo: NBC

No New Yorker should be surprised that Alec Baldwin was arrested in an apparent fight over a parking space on E. 10th St. — but not because the actor is a hothead, but because the city does such a bad job of pricing the curb that there's simply never a spot when a frantic actor (or anyone else) needs one.

The location where Baldwin allegedly punched another driver for taking "his" space offers on-street car storage for the exorbitant price of absolutely nothing, meaning that residents almost never turn over the spaces to give visitors or shoppers access to the curb.

DOT raised the price of meters in the area from $3.50 for the first hour to $4 for the first hour and $6.75 for additional hours. But it's completely free to store a car on the side street of E. 10th St. between Fifth Avenue and University Place all week (minus a half-hour twice a week for street cleaning).

A fight like Baldwin's shines a light on what's wrong with street management in our city, said transit expert Charles Komanoff.

"There's chronic over-demand for parking because the city isn't pricing it properly," the number-crunching guru told Streetsblog. "If we had properly priced curbside parking, by definition, we would always have 10 to 15 percent of the spaces available.”

Komanoff said we won't know how high the curb should be priced till we try it, but cited research by parking fee expert Donald Shoup that there's always a way for the city to figure out a price that's just high enough to create turnover.

"There needs to be a space for the person who really needs one — like someone taking an aunt to a medical clinic for dialysis," he said. "But if it's free, that space won't be available. Instead, in many residential neighborhoods, we see that a big portion of the traffic is just drivers cruising for free parking."

Komanoff said on E. 10th Street, parking would likely cost around $5 for the first half-hour — well within the budget of Manhattan car owners like Alec Baldwin.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Live from New York (State), It’s Wednesday Night!

Hallelujah, congestion pricing now getting big laughs in Albany.

May 23, 2025

Friday Video: A Deep Dive on the Endless Debate Over Bike Helmets

Everything you need to know the next time someone asks you if you're "for" or "against" bike helmets.

May 23, 2025

Friday’s Headlines: John Mulaney, You Are Officially On Notice Edition

When did Netflix start airing community board meetings? Plus other news.

May 23, 2025

Assembly Member Ditches Her Car — and Discovers The Good Side of Albany

"I love Albany now," says the Greenpoint lawmaker, who ditched her car. Will others follow? Well, Gov. Hochul offered a start...

May 22, 2025

Public Demands Safer West Side Highway at Packed Workshop

Seemingly all in attendance agreed that the existing bike and pedestrian path isn't cutting it and ought to be expanded.

May 22, 2025
See all posts