Can Alternate Side Parking Be Fixed?

By Mark Chiusano

There are countless ways to demonstrate the forever-controversial nature of alternate side parking (ASP) in New York City, but only one involves Mayor Ed Koch’s voice whining from a mechanical street sweeper.

That was the gimmick the then-mayor unveiled in 1988 to encourage illegally parked cars to move, so the street sweepers could clean. “Get it outta here,” his tape-recorded voice implored. 

It’s just one example of how alternate side parking – … <Read More>



DDC Celebrates Water Main Upgrades in Park Slope

On November 1, 2024, the New York City Department of Design and Construction (DDC) announced the completion of a $40.7 million project that focused on protecting Brooklyn residents from the future impacts of climate change. The project was managed by the  Department of Design and Construction on behalf of the Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Transportation. The upgrades in Park Slope aim to improve stormwater drainage and the overall capacity of the … <Read More>


DOT Reminds Restaurants About End of Roadway Dining Season, Sidewalk Dining to Continue

On November 19, 2024, the New York City Department of Transportation announced a reminder that the season for roadway outdoor dining set ups ends on November 29th. Under the Dining Out NYC permanent outdoor dining program, roadway dining is seasonally allowed from April through the end of November. Sidewalk-based outdoor dining setups can continue to operate year-round. 

Roadway set-ups must be removed by the end of day on November 29th or establishments will be subject … <Read More>


Council Passes Bill Legalizing Jaywalking

On September 26, 2024, the City Council passed Introduction Number 346-A which would legalize “jaywalking,” the practice of a pedestrian crossing a roadway outside of a marked or unmarked crosswalk or against traffic signals. The legislation allows pedestrians to legally cross a road from any point, even outside of a marked or unmarked crossword, regardless of traffic signals. The local law specifies that jaywalking will not violate the administrative code and cannot be used as … <Read More>


Could Public Space Stewards Help Make New York City More Livable?

By Mark Chiusano

For obvious reasons I was recently revisiting a small controversy over the usage of public space in a certain midtown Manhattan building: Trump Tower.

In 2016, Donald Trump and New York City went back and forth over whether the building had to keep some public benches in the lobby. During construction decades earlier, the tower had been allowed to rise higher in exchange for a little bit of public space (some of … <Read More>