Peak Rate Parking Proposal Sails Through Preliminary Meeting

Ian Dutton, vice-chair of Manhattan CB2’s transportation committee, tells Streetsblog the idea of piloting a variable-rate parking program in Greenwich Village met with approval at last week’s DOT-sponsored strategy session. The program, which DOT is calling “Peak Rate Parking,” would increase meter prices during peak hours, boosting turnover and reducing traffic caused by cars cruising for spots.

“All attendees agree that
the pilot is worth going ahead with,” Dutton said in an email. “We worked through the area that
we’re going to recommend for the pilot and discussed issues like the
meters’ effective hours and time limits.”

DOT had distributed flyers throughout the
neighborhood explaining that the pilot program was contingent on a positive verdict at the meeting. Few people attended despite the outreach, which Dutton interpreted as a sign that opposition to the idea is not strong. “My feeling is that this indicates that residents are not
particularly concerned about ‘protecting’ unreasonably low meter rates
and that businesses don’t fear changes to the way things are done,” he
said.

A resolution on the peak parking proposal will be finalized at a CB2 transportation committee meeting on July 8, and will go to the full board on July 24 for a final vote. If implemented, the
pilot program is expected to begin in September.

Photo: misplacedparadox/Flickr