BILL NUMBER: S9197

SPONSOR: COMRIE
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act in relation to establishing a comprehensive commercial parking
plan for the city of New York

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

Commercial 18 wheelers have been parking on residential streets for
several years. The New York City department of transportation has speci-
fied routes for trucks to traverse as they upload and download material
items. This bill would require that New York City Government take an
active approach to develop a commercial parking plan in New York City.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 of the bill requires the Mayor's traffic representative to
work in conjunction with members of the City Council to identify sites
to repurpose to commercial parking and develop an action plan for future
development considerations.
              

Section 2 of the bill is the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Commercial parking in the city of New York is a problem. Big-rig truck
drivers across the U.S. face that reality daily. In a survey of 11,000
drivers conducted in 2020 by the Federal Highway Administration, nearly
all (98%) truckers said they have problems finding parking, with most
saying they encounter this once or more a week. The lack of truck park-
ing spots causes more than a minor inconvenience: It forces truck driv-
ers to park in precarious situations along roads, exit ramps, vacant
lots or on residential streets, which is sometimes illegal.

Precariously parked trucks have been linked to numerous car accidents
and deaths. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration reports that
673 fatal crashes involving parked or working vehicles occurred between
2018 and 2020, with multiple other crashes causing injuries.

While many truck parking lots are overrun, others boast empty spots.
Technology such as the Truck Parking Availability System in Florida
seeks to inform drivers of what parking is available and where. The
federally funded Truck Parking Information Management System provides a
similar solution. TPIMS collects information about availability in truck
parking lots in eight states and sends it to electronic roadside signs,
websites, and navigation apps to help drivers find a spot in real time.

Instead of building new parking spaces, industry and government leaders
can consider repurposing underutilized spaces. Stadiums, malls, and
warehouses are all examples of places with ample parking footprints that
aren't always in use. The National League of Cities recommends city
leaders explore unused lots as an option, and some entrepreneurs are
working to connect truck-friendly lots with truckers.

This bill would do just that, by having the Mayor's team and city coun-
cil members work together to identify suitable locations in an action

plan that could support truck parking where NYC DOT has specified truck
routes.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

This is a new bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:

TBD.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.