by Shiang Liu

Council Member John Liu, Chairperson of the Transportation Committee, has introduced legislation to restore integrity to the City’s Byzantine street parking restrictions and signs. For more information, please see excerpts of recent news reports below.

A Good Idea From the Council
Noting the often-contradictory parking street signs in all five boroughs, John Liu, chairman of the transportation Committee, has asked a rather smart question:

Why not use the technology at hand to better inform the public on parking regulations?

The Queens councilman has introduced legislation that - if passed - would require the city Department of Transportation to post all parking regulations on its Web site, broken down by block.

There’s absolutely no reason why this can’t be done. Indeed, it’s surprising that such a system isn’t already in place, given the obvious benefits:

For one thing, the process of posting the information on the site would give DOT a chance to clean up contradictory signs.

Furthermore, such an approach would help residents figure out the regulations in their own neighborhoods - as well as help anyone driving their cars into unfamiliar territory.

Liu’s good idea needs to become law straightaway.

New York Post
Council, advocacy group take aim at city’s parking placards
In response to complaints from residents and business owners who have been ticketed after parking in spots where the rules are unclear or contradictory, Councilman John Liu (D-Queens), chairman of the Council’s Transportation Committee, introduced legislation to mandate that the city’s Department of Transportation post all parking regulations online, in a format searchable by each block.

Staten Island Advance
Pol Rips Parking Tix Rules
A city councilman yesterday called on the Big Apple to make parking regulations less confusing by posting the rules for every block on the Internet.

Residents and businessmen have complained that two “No Parking” or “No Standing” signs on the same block often contradict each other, leaving motorists baffled, said Councilman John Liu, chairman of the Transportation Committee.

The city has used technology more for its own gain than for its residents’, Liu said.

“The issuance of parking summonses has been automated substantially over the years, to the point where ticketing agents have handheld computers,” Liu said. “Unfortunately, all the technological innovation has focused on speeding the issuance of fines, and not with the integrity of the enforcement process.”

New York Post
Law Would Ease Meter Confusion
Downtown Flushing, with its overpowering megawatt signage and near-constant traffic jams, can be confusing even on a slow day. Between the cars and buses, the throng of people and the impossible parking situation, even a short jaunt to Flushing can be a hectic and harrowing affair for Queens drivers.

City Councilman John Liu (D-Flushing) chose 40th Road, a one way L-curve in the midst of the Flushing hullabaloo, to announce a new measure to help Queens residents, and the rest of New York, to avoid the parking citations that often make short trips into trails of tears.

Calling it the “first shot across the bow” in the battle against the flurry of tickets NYPD traffic enforcement has enacted, Liu announced a new City Council introduction that would require the city to post traffic and parking regulations for every street in New York City on the internet.

“This bill is about accountability and transparency in city government,” Liu said, standing underneath one of the troublesome “no standing” signs in his district.

“We have had a huge number of people getting tickets for parking at those parking meters,” Liu said. “It’s an incessant amount of tickets.”

“This is in the interest of fair play,” Liu added. “The least they can do is make sure people know what they’re being ticketed for.”

“This is not a lot of work,” Liu added. “The information is already computerized.”

Queens Tribune
Pol: Help People Park Before They Drive
With alternate-side parking, “no standing” zones, and various rules governing meters - to name just a few of the regulations - finding a much-coveted spot is just one of the obstacles to parking your car in New York City.

Citing conflicting and contradictory signage regarding parking, Councilman John Liu announced legislation last week that would require the Department of Transportation (DOT) to post the parking rules for each city block on the Internet.

“Even when the technology and data exists, New York City is going in the opposite direction when it comes to providing the tools to navigate the Byzantine parking regulations,” said Liu. “Our legislation serves notice that this sorry state of affairs is no longer acceptable.”

Council Intro 537 will mandate that DOT post all of the parking regulations online in a database searchable by city block. The information is already available internally to city agencies, but isn’t readily available to the public-at-large.

Queens Ledger
Legislation to Increase Parking Regulation Transparency & Accountability Announced
Amid conflicting parking restriction signage, Council Member John C. Liu and community advocates announced legislation designed to dramatically improve the transparency and accountability of City parking regulations.

“More open and transparent City government means a more empowered citizenry. Unfortunately, even when the technology and data exists, New York City is going in the opposition direction when it comes to providing the tools to navigate our Byzantine parking regulations. Our legislation serves notice that this sorry state of affairs is no longer acceptable,” stated Council Member John C. Liu, Chairperson of the Transportation Committee. “The issuance of parking summonses has been automated substantially over the years to the point where ticketing agents have hand-held computers. Unfortunately, all the technological innovation has focused on speeding the issuance of fines and not with the integrity of the enforcement process.”

Queens Times
Liu Blasts Parking Regs
The city’s parking regulations are totally confusing, favoring the city over motorists. City Councilmember John Liu (D- Flushing) thinks it would clear up matters considerably if all the regulations were posted on the Internet.

Liu, chair of the council Transportation Committee, says the city has reserved technology for its own purposes, using handheld computers to issue tickets. Why not utilize the Internet to help motorists, he asks.

“The issuance of parking summonses has been automated substantially over the years, to the point where ticketing agents have hand-held computers,” says Liu. “Unfortunately, all the technological innovation has focused on speeding the issuance of fines and not with the integrity of the enforcement process.”

Queens Gazette
Shiang Liu is Director of Community Services for Council Member John C. Liu