New York City cracks down on illegally parked commercial vehicles after Queens residents sound off
ST. ALBANS, Queens (WABC) -- The NYPD and city officials are cracking down on commercial vehicles parking illegally across the city.
Residents in the St. Albans neighborhood sent in numerous complaints about trucks taking up limited overnight parking spaces.
Commercial vehicles are banned from parking in residential neighborhoods from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., seven days a week.
And officials want to make sure this rule is followed while making sure drivers have a full understanding.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Queens Borough President Donovan Richards watched as a tractor-trailer was towed Monday night in Queens.
"These trucks should not be using residential streets as their parking lots," Richards said. "It's disrespectful to our neighbors, it's dangerous, and honestly it's outright dumb."
That truck was towed under a new initiative called Operation Heavy Duty Enforcement.
The new measure went into effect last Monday and in its first five days, the city issued 597 tickets, attached 89 wheel clamps, and towed 55 illegally parked vehicles.
Tickets for illegally parked vehicles can range from $45 to over $100.
"This type of parking is not happening in affluent areas," Adams said. "You are not going to go to affluent parts of the city and see these 18-wheelers parked out front and it goes without enforcement. This is a residential community they deserve the same level of quality of life that we give to other parts of the city."
The city says this is a response to complaints from the community about the illegally parked commercial vehicles.
"This enforcement action is a direct result of community concerns and community complaints," resident Jeffrey Maddrey said. "I spend a lot of time in this neighborhood, and I've noticed personally how residential blocks have been inundated with these large vehicles which should not be parking overnight."
The mayor says this new initiative is a way to improve the quality of life for residents not only in Queens, but also all over New York City.
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