muni-meters-parking-nyc

Image source: NYDN

The Queens Chronicle went out and talked to some local Queens folks regarding their feelings on the Muni Meters – the new street parking system implemented by the city that eliminates the needs for individual parking meters. Some of the Queens neighborhoods in which they’ve been installed are Astoria, St Albans, Rosedale, Hollis, Auburndale, and Sunnyside. In 2013 they’ll be installed in the neighborhoods of Ozone Park, Forest Hills, Kew Gardens, Jamaica, Woodside and Corona.

Some people like the meters – Jefferson Gomez of Astoria says, “They are helpful, it’s advanced with the cards. You can buy a twenty dollar card and get it to work, you don’t need change.” These meters also take debit and credit cards, which can be handy.

But some people don’t care for the meters, especially when it comes to having to walk an extra block to get to the meter. Thomas Melville of Fresh Meadows says, “Folks of age are being ticketed when the Muni-Meter is two blocks away and the walk is long and tiring.” He believes the setup – a meter not adjacent to a parking space – is ” feasible only for the young.” He is also concerned that people (especially seniors) might get ticketed while they are walking (perhaps slowly) between their car and the Muni Meter to pay for parking.

Motorcyclists don’t like them because on a motorcycle there is no real protected yet accessible area to display the parking receipt, which is easy to do with an enclosed car. Peter Vallone, City Councilman in Astoria, protests these new Muni Meters. He wants to see motorcycles park free in the city.

No matter what the sentiment is, these Muni Meters are what is coming. DOT expects to have all conventional parking meters replaced by the end of January 2013.

How about you – do you like or detest the new Muni Meters? Leave us a comment here or via twitter at @queensnycity

Muni-meters replacing old coin-op parking meters [Queens Chronicle]
Free parking for motorcycles in NYC? Peter Vallone in Astoria wants to make it so [QNYC]


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