Should Parking Meters Be Suspended During Extreme Weather?

“Alternate-side parking regulations will be suspended for snow removal. Meters and all other parking regulations will remain in effect.”

We’ve heard those words so frequently over the last couple of days, it’s almost a cliche. With Linus coating local streets in a thick sheet of ice, it makes sense that alternate-side parking has been suspended indefinitely – but should the city’s Muni Meters be suspended too?

Councilman David Greenfield made the case for suspending the meters when alternate-side parking is not in effect due to snow in City Council on Monday. He argued that the meters force drivers to climb over mounds of snow and ice, which is dangerous and an unnecessary hassle.

“I’ve gotten tons of complaints about this,” he told the New York Daily News, charging that by keeping the meters up and running, the city is only interested in making a quick buck.

Support for the bill from other lawmakers and the city’s Sanitation Department does not look promising. The New York Daily News reports:

Officials say they want curbs clear, especially in commercial areas where meters are more often in effect, to help with snow removal. They also say turnover in parking spots is crucial to local businesses.

De Blasio spokeswoman Marti Adams said the administration would review the Greenfield bill. Sanitation Department spokesman Vito Turso said his agency would also take a look, but would most likely “oppose the bill since the department needs access to the curbs in order to effectively clear snow.”

Should Muni Meters be suspended during snowstorms? Share your thoughts in the comments.