Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
New push for automated ticketing of drivers who double park in NYC
By
Stephen Nessen
Published Mar 3, 2025
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
James Ramsay / Staff
By
Stephen Nessen
Published Mar 3, 2025
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
There are cameras that automatically issue tickets to New York City vehicles for running red lights, speeding and parking in bus lanes. Now, state lawmakers want to add cameras that automatically ticket people who break parking rules.
Assemblymember Steven Raga of Queens is leading a group of Democrats pushing for a $35 million pilot project for 150 cameras targeting drivers who double park or otherwise park illegally.
“With the overwhelming increase of cars on our roads, manual enforcement has not been able to meet the demand to combat double parking and illegal parking,” Raga wrote in a letter to Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie last week. “These bad actors rarely face violations, allowing chaos and safety hazards to persist for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists.”
Raga envisions installing the cameras in busy parts of the city where drivers park illegally in bike lanes or spots designated for commercial loading or as no standing areas. He asked that the cameras' cost be included in the state budget negotiated by legislative leaders and Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Raga argued that calls to 311 about illegally parked vehicles rarely yield any results. Last year, the watchdog Department of Investigation found that the NYPD routinely ignored 311 complaints about abuse of city-issued parking permits. Raga also pointed out that blocked bike lanes and double parked cars create traffic congestion.
“Not only are these violations not captured adequately, but it would also be impossible to do so manually, highlighting the need for automated curb enforcement,” Raga wrote.
But other Assembly Democrats signaled they were loath to add to the city’s automated traffic camera enforcement.
“ It's entirely outrageous,” said state Sen. Simcha Felder of south Brooklyn. “You want to save lives? You do what they've done for years successfully and saved lives, you have cops sporadically giving out summonses with points on your license.”
Felder, who spoke while in a car, noted that traffic deaths remain stubbornly high despite the expanded use of automated enforcement.
There were 253 people killed by vehicles last year. That’s only a slight decrease from the previous two years when 261 people were killed. The city got approval to expand the number of red light cameras from 150 to 600 intersections late last year.
The city’s Department of Transportation reports that T-bone crashes are are 13% less likely at intersections with automatic red light ticketing. The agency also notes that 95% of drivers who received a ticket in 2023 were likely to only get one or two, which, they argue, shows drivers learn their lesson.
“The goal really is to make sure that the laws on our streets are being followed because we see too much chaos on our streets,” Michael Sutherland, an analyst at Open Plans, a nonprofit advocating for the curb enforcement effort, told Gothamist.
Sutherland said he hopes the tickets would be similar to the bus lane enforcement tickets that start at $50 and escalate to as much as $250 for repeat violations.
The city’s transportation department supports the push.
“Automated enforcement has proven to change driver behavior and make our streets safer for everyone,” Department of Transportation spokesperson Anna Correa wrote in a statement. “While we are reviewing this legislation, NYC DOT supports expanding the use of automated enforcement to uphold the city’s parking regulations, which are essential to keeping streets clear, reducing traffic congestion, and protecting New Yorkers on our roads.”
Tagged
new york city
transportation
Stephen Nessen
Stephen Nessen covers transportation. Since 2008 he has reported on everything from Occupy Wall Street, the rebuilding of the World Trade Center site, Hurricane Sandy, to Trump’s campaign for president. His transportation reporting has taken him everywhere from the MTA’s secret Rail Control Center to the gleaming subways of Seoul. Got a tip? Email [email protected].
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Astoria-born Chip City announces sudden closure days after former CEO sues
The company blamed ‘macro-economic headwinds.’ The co-founder is suing over compensation.
By
Catalina Gonella
Published Oct 3, 2026 at 11:29 a.m. ET
US judge tosses Trump lawsuit targeting pro-Palestinian protesters in NJ
The Justice Department sued demonstrators who protested at a synagogue, under a law aimed at shielding abortion clinics.
By
Willow Higgins
News
US judge tosses Trump lawsuit targeting pro-Palestinian protesters in NJ
The Justice Department sued demonstrators who protested at a synagogue, under a law aimed at shielding abortion clinics.
By
Willow Higgins
A big, bright Saturn will be the highlight of NYC's fall stargazing season
By
Rosemary Misdary
NYC tow companies busted for ripping off drivers must give $67K in refunds, city says
By
Liam Quigley
Off-duty NYPD officer stabbed in the Bronx, police say
By
Ryan Kost
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .