More than intimidating, parking in New York City can be a nightmare, especially for visitors. For one, it can be hard to find, even if you’re armed with the latest technology like Apple Maps. It’s also expensive with daily parking rates costing anywhere between $20 and $50 and monthly parking sometimes costing thousands of dollars.
In a city with so many mass transit options, you might think parking wouldn’t be such a problem. During the pandemic, however, many people avoided public transportation, and ridership has yet to fully rebound. In addition to the city’s famous yellow taxis, which are some of the most iconic modes of transportation you can find, the streets these days are also clogged with vehicles used as rideshares. Since the city’s population is nearly 8.5 million, it means that even if only a fraction of residents are on the road, it can lead to busy streets and parking challenges.
If you’re hoping to avoid some of the fees from garages and park on the street, you may also find that challenging. Street parking in Manhattan is especially difficult due to the city’s bike share program, and any spaces you do find in the city may be filled with residents’ vehicles. Nevertheless, when you do finally manage to get a spot, you’ll need to learn the ins and outs of street parking. Much of it is metered at various rates, but you should beware of things like alternate side parking, which requires drivers to move their cars to a specific side of the street to make room for street cleaning — or else be fined.
The ins and outs of alternate side parking
If you’re lucky enough to snag a free spot on the streets of New York City, you’ll want to take a close look for a sign that indicates alternate side parking regulations are in effect. These signs show a “P” crossed out by a broom and will indicate the days and times that the street will be cleaned. At those times, you are requiring to park on the other side of the road…