The city Department of Transportation is eliminating 175 parking spots on the Upper West Side, outraging drivers who say it’s the latest salvo in NYC’s war against cars — and the latest effort to block those trying to avoid the $9 congestion-pricing toll.
On Aug. 11, signs declaring three-hour metered parking to be paid through the app ParkNYC popped up on 16 blocks from West 73rd to West 86th streets, transforming many meter-free stretches between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue into pay-to-park territory.
Under the new measures, vehicles are required to pay $5 for the first hour and $8.25 the second hour from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day except Sunday. Old regs allowed them to park all day and night for free, except for 90 minutes twice a week for street cleaning. The app doesn’t let drivers pay beyond the two-hour maximum.
“I, who live here and pay taxes and it’s my neighborhood, cannot park here now because they put those signs up,’” fumed West 72nd Street resident Abraham Pariente, a 64-year-old painter…