UPPER WEST SIDE (WABC) — New York City is rolling back some recent changes to parking on the Upper West Side.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Meter-free stretches turned into pay-to-park with drivers required to pay through an app.<\/p>\n
Residents say they were never even notified about the changes.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
“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.<\/p>\n
The city announced it is ‘restoring’ free parking after converting about 70 spots for its smart curbs program, at least for now.<\/p>\n
Part of the goal was to support local businesses by encouraging parking turnover.<\/p>\n
“I never heard stores complaining in that area that they don’t have customers,” Councilwoman Gayle Brewer said.<\/p>\n
Councilwoman Gayle Brewer demanded that Department of Transportation officials roll the initiative back after she says her office was inundated with complaints.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
“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.<\/p>\n
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.’<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
“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.<\/p>\n
For now, some people are relieved the free parking will be reinstated.<\/p>\n
“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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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