Trucks Disturb The Peace On Bay Parkway

On the long stretch of Bay Parkway beginning just a couple of blocks west of Ocean Parkway, where Midwood, Borough Park and Bensonhurst converge at Washington Cemetery, the area takes on an almost bucolic quality. It’s often said that graveyards make the best neighbors for those seeking peace and quiet.

Unfortunately, the street has become a de facto overnight parking spot for tractor trailers, disturbing the quality of life with air pollution, noise, trucker bombs and, of course, the imposing presence of the trucks themselves.

From NY1:

“Rather than paying for parking they’re parking in front of our houses,” said Bensonhurst resident Benjamin Lapidus.

“In a residential area to have tractor trailers lined up in front of your house, it’s just not a pleasant experience,” said Bensonhurst resident Patty Alford.

And it also happens to be illegal. According to the Department of Transportation, commercial vehicles are prohibited from parking on residential streets between the hours of 9 p.m. and 5 a.m.

Unfortunately, residents say that doesn’t stop the huge tractor trailers from using Bay Parkway as their own personal garage.

“They have refrigeration units that run continuously on cycles that are timed,” said Lapidus.

“The noise that they generate is unbelievable,” said Alford.

Homeowners insist that, despite calls to both the DOT and DEP, little more has been done than the issuing of a few tickets for idling – which is really just one symptom of the larger issue of the illegal overnight parking.

Do you or someone you know live on or near Bay Parkway between 59th Street and Ocean Parkway? Please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.