Last Updated on April 20, 2022 by Lawrence Berezin
ASP Rules changes are still in effect
Once upon a time, I participated in a campaign to make Alternate side parking in NYC more tolerable, such as;
-Allowing drivers to stay in their cars until the street cleaner passed.
-Permitting drivers to double park on the unrestricted side of the street until the cleaner passed.
-Reducing the number of street cleaning days per week.
Sadly, we lost big time.
But, finally, some meaningful changes went into effect in June 2020.
Table of contents
Alternate Side Parking Reform
Here is some valuable information from the DOT
“Beginning Monday, June 29, 2020, residential streets will be cleaned no more than once per week, per side. Residential streets that have multiple ASP days on each side will be cleaned – with vehicles required to be moved – only on the latest day in the week on each side, as indicated on each street’s currently posted signage.” (Continued on the DOT webpage)
–NYC Department of Sanitation
The next Press Release was in September 2020
“Friday, September 18, 2020
Alternate Side Parking Reform Continued Extension
NEW YORK—Mayor de Blasio today announced that reforms to Alternate Side Parking (ASP) would be in place until further notice. The city first unveiled the reform in June, announcing that non-metered side streets with multiple ASP days would be cleaned once per week, the most dramatic change to ASP in decades.
Amended rules pertain to non-metered residential “side streets” and not to commercial areas. Streets with multiple ASP days would be cleaned on the last day of the week, as posted on each street’s currently posted sign. For example, a street with ASP regulations posted on Tuesday and Friday will be cleaned on Friday only. Daily sweeping regulations in metered areas will not change, and DSNY will continue cleaning streets with posted No Standing, No Stopping, and No Parking regulations as needed.
This change is the most dramatic change to ASP regulations since 2000 when the City reduced the duration of sweeping windows from 3 hours to just 90 minutes. The City has also reduced sweeping frequency in several neighborhoods, including in Brooklyn Community Board 6 (Park Slope & Red Hook), Brooklyn Community Board 7 (Sunset Park), and Manhattan Community Board 12 (Washington Heights & Inwood). Alternate Side Parking has been in place in New York City since the mid-1950s, and regulations are currently in place on nearly 2,300 miles of New York City streets.”
Would you like the new, 2022 ASP Rules Suspension Calendar?
Click on the link for your free ASP Suspension Rules Calendar download (no email address requested)
Some street cleaning questions answered
When do I have to move my car?
For any residential street, regulations will be in effect only on the latest day posted on the sign on each side of the street.
-Alternate side parking regulations are indicated by a “Sanitation Broom Symbol” on the street sign.
-If one side of the street has ASP Tuesday and Friday, it will be swept on Friday only.
-If the other side of the street has regulations on Monday and Thursday, it will only be swept on Thursday.
-Streets that have just one day of ASP regulations on each side will not change.
Does this apply to metered areas?
No. Daily sweeping in metered areas, including 30-minute parking restrictions Monday through Saturday in metered areas, will not change. Parking meters remain in effect.
Does this affect other parking regulations?
This change only affects street sweeping regulations, as indicated by the Sanitation Broom Symbol. This change does not affect No Stopping or No Standing restrictions. Or, No Parking areas that do not have the Sanitation Broom Symbol or any other posted restrictions.
Commentary
These changes are one small step for NYC drivers, one giant leap for driver-kind. Where have I heard those words before?
Do you remember those old, horrific ASP stickers? Can you guess when the City Council eliminated them?
Would you like a copy of the current ASP Rules Suspension Calendar for your refrigerator? if so, click the ASP calendar link.
Sadly, I have to report that the second street cleaning day is coming back.
The return of the second ASP day
Here’s what the city’s new sanitation commissioner had to say: “It went on for far too long and it largely sidelined the best cleanup tool in our arsenal, which is the mechanical broom,” Jessica Tisch, the city’s new sanitation commissioner, said in an interview on Monday. “And I think that has made a meaningful difference in the cleanliness of every neighborhood in this city.”
The day that will live in infamy is July 5, 2022. That’s the day you’ll have to start dancing the street cleaning polka at least two times per week. So, you may wish to do some exercises to get your body and mind ready, such as:
Sit in your car for two hours
Circle the block aimlessly
Double park
Start saving some extra dough because a street cleaning violation is $65 across all neighborhoods
And, a double parking ticket is $115
At least you can rest easy knowing that the streets of NYC will be clean. The five boroughs will fully restore alternate side parking this summer as part of an $11 million effort to improve street cleanliness, the city’s newly appointed sanitation commissioner announced Monday.
Yea, right!
Related Links:
Glad you’re feeling better. ASP is a cash-grab and nothing more. Don’t be surprised if the next mayor restores the old pre-Covid ASP rules to raise even more cash from taxpaying car owners. Or even extends ASP to the neighborhoods which have never had ASP.
Thanks for sharing your opinion, “JAT.”.
I’m grateful for your kind comment, too.
Regards,
Larry
IF ASP is truly to clean the streets, and not a cash grab, why can’t we park AFTER the sweeper passes, instead of waiting until the time on the sign expires? Makes no sense.
Hello,
I totally agree. I fought for that change to the ASP rules during the Bloomberg administration. We had the support of a number of council members, but not enough. In fact, here’s a link to one of our old petitions.
Oh well. Rodriguez tried again in 2017, but we lost again.
I still don’t know why this isn’t a common-sense change to improve the quality of life in our fair city?
Thanks for sharing your excellent thoughts.
Regards,
Larry
What do you do if the street has been torn up for repair? Is alternate side parking in effect for that street?
Hi Emmanuel,
Good afternoon.
Generally, when there is street repair, there are temporary signs installed (either paper or as an addendum to a parking sign. Usually, it prohibits all parking on the street for a defined period of time.
Were there any signs on the block?
Regards,
Larry
Hi there. I read on an old blog that the muni-meters won’t take your money when ASP times are in place. Is this still the case? I moved my car to the next block and put money in the meter but I guess in my haste didn’t realize it was on the side that was ASP and had the “meters not in effect above times” sign. Is there a way to fight it or did the city get my meter money and now my ticket money?
Hi Matt,
Oh, man. I hate that kind of stuff.
I am aware of a proposed law to do just that, but it hasn’t been passed yet.
IN other words, I don’t think the money machines have been programmed to reject our payment when parking is illegal. But, it may be worth fighting the ticket and raising that as a defense.
Good luck.
Regards,
Larry
Thanks for sharing all this info! Also, thanks for trying for so long to have more fair rules. I am in the West Village and it has become increasingly hard to find street parking. However, I have found that playing musical cars over the weekend usually is effective. Hopefully the reform having it down to once a week stays this way.
Best,
Marie
Hi Marie,
Thanks so much for your kind comment. It means a lot to me.
Hopefully!
Regards,
Larry
The new mayor Adams has advised that on July 5th, 2022, there will be a full restoration of ASP rules.
It was stopped for almost two years, they should keep it to one day a week.
The sweepers really do nothing in my neighborhood. They rarely even spray water. Dust flying all over the place.
Its simply a way for the city to make money.
Tekem,
Amen to that!
Regards,
Larry