While Mayor Bloomberg’s Congestion Pricing plan (PlaNYC) has gone down to a bitter defeat, the Mayor still has options to reduce traffic and congestion in Manhattan. Because of Bloomberg’s congestion pricing plan, the public is very aware about the benefits of easing the crush of automobiles in Gotham. The Mayor should take advantage of this opportunity and crack down – hard – on the NYC parking permit abuse that has long gone unchecked and which adds a large amount of unnecessary volume to NYC and specifically Manhattan streets.

How NYC Parking Permit Abuse Effects Traffic & Congestion

In 2006, a study revealed that over 150,000 vehicles park daily on NYC streets using government-issued placards. In addition to illegal copies of these permits, many people use outright bogus parking placards, ranging from expired permits to those that have nothing at all to do with the City government (hotels, gyms, etc.). All this adds up to an excess of cars on the streets that wouldn’t be there if not for this mostly unnecessary perk; NYC parking permits are being handed out like candy.

How to End NYC Parking Permit Abuse and Reduce Traffic & Congestion

The following are some tips to end NYC parking permit abuse, which will go a long way to easing traffic and congestion in Manhattan – without costing drivers an extra $ 8 every time they drive into Manhattan’s business districts:

* NYC Parking placards should only be issued to those City employees who must drive to work (i.e., public transportation is not an option) and those who do emergency work, such as police and firefighters.

* NYC Parking permits may only be used while on official business. Owing a parking placard does not entitle one to park wherever and whenever they feel like it.

* If a NYC parking permit is issued because public transportation isn’t a possibility, the person’s place of business should be listed on the permit and the permit should only be valid for a specified distance from that address (say 1/3rd mile). While local cops probably wouldn’t write a ticket if the car is parked a little further away than the limit, the driver wouldn’t be able to park in Midtown if they work at Wall Street.

* The Parking permits should be created via an advanced technological method so that counterfeiting them is extremely difficult.

* The zero-tolerance policy regarding parking permit abuse must be strictly enforced by the NYPD, who must ticket and tow abusers without exception. This will bring in additional revenue to the City, which can help defer the cost of implementing this policy.

– Copyright 2007 WhereToFindParking.com