The Woodhaven SBS lane removed several parking spaces from the area. (Google Maps)
March 27, 2019 By Laura Hanrahan
State Sen. Joseph Addabbo has introduced a bill that would require the city to replace all parking spaces taken away by bus-only lanes or any other capital project.
This is the second time that Addabbo, who represents areas of central Queens from Maspeth to Rockaway Park, has attempted to pass a version of this bill.
In 2017, after the MTA implemented a bus lane for the 14-mile-long Q52/53 Select Bus Service route along Woodhaven and Cross Bay Boulevards, Addabbo and co-sponsor State Sen. Simcha Felder of Brooklyn introduced a similar bill that eventually died in committee.
Simcha is no longer listed as a co-sponsor on the most recent version of the bill.
The proposed legislation is aimed at supporting local businesses whose revenue may be affected by customers not being able to easily access their stores. The bill applies to capital projects such as major DOT street redesigns.
“Local businesses rely heavily on customer accessibility and parking availability,” the bill reads. “Certain city projects in the past have eliminated critical parking spaces, without replenishment, thus causing a great hardship on business owners to accommodate customers.”
If passed, the bill would require that all future projects provide replacement parking spaces within a one block radius of the original lost space.
“Since small businesses are the heart of the thriving economy of this community, ample parking must be made available,” the bill states.
The bill comes as the city is begins to invest even more money into Select Bus Service, most recently announcing a $6.2 million contract to equip 123 new buses with camera systems that will be able to capture cars parking in bus lanes, which will then be ticketed.
Mayor Bill de Blasio has been campaigning for increased bus speeds through new bus-only lanes, having police tow cars blocking the lanes, and now the on-board cameras.
Addabbo’s bill is now being considered by the Senate’s transportation committee.
