UPPER WEST SIDE (WABC) — New York City is rolling back some recent changes to parking on the Upper West Side.
The changes caused frustration for people who live and drive in the area, impacting dozens of parking spots from West 73rd to West 86th streets near Central Park.
Meter-free stretches turned into pay-to-park with drivers required to pay through an app.
Residents say they were never even notified about the changes.
When the new signs for pay-by-app parking went up on streets off Columbus Avenue between 73rd and 86th streets earlier this month, it got residents and workers revved up.
“I drive to the Bronx so I need to have my car close by and there’s nowhere to put it, it’s frustrating,” said Upper West Side resident Jordana Kritzer.
The city announced it is ‘restoring’ free parking after converting about 70 spots for its smart curbs program, at least for now.
Part of the goal was to support local businesses by encouraging parking turnover.
“I never heard stores complaining in that area that they don’t have customers,” Councilwoman Gayle Brewer said.
Councilwoman Gayle Brewer demanded that Department of Transportation officials roll the initiative back after she says her office was inundated with complaints.
While she says there was a hearing on the program in June, there was limited clarity on how many spots would be converted and when the signs would even go up.
“Residents were 100 percent blindsided. You don’t, you know, put a major change in policy in people’s backyards, front yards, overnight. You just don’t do that,” Brewer said.
In a letter to Brewers’ office, the city admits the DOT ‘could have done more to inform and include the public in the specifics and timing of the program’s implementation.’
Nicole Paynter with the Columbus Avenue Business Improvement District says the signs weren’t up long enough to notice an increase in business for its members.
“I think the next steps are for us to advocate that this will be useful to our businesses and our district as a whole,” Paynter said.
For now, some people are relieved the free parking will be reinstated.
“It’s enormous the amount of money I’m spending to get to work, it’s crazy. I’m so happy you gave me the good news,” Upper West Side resident Reuben Bermundez said.
Officials say it should take approximately 48 hours to repost the signs to restore the parking in the area to its status prior to DOT’s changes last week.
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