The NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) is cracking down on double parking and traffic congestion throughout the Big Apple by creating additional space for trucks and cars to unload deliveries.
The agency said that it has installed 500 new loading zones throughout the five boroughs so drivers making deliveries can park in more convenient spaces rather than double park, which is illegal in NYC and adds to traffic congestion.
Based on public feedback, the new loading zones were placed in areas with high concentrations of double parking. The DOT launched a web portal in 2023 where New Yorkers can report problem areas and is part of the city’s initiatives to address freight management and truck deliveries.
Residents place a pin on a NYC map to use the portal to identify problem areas related to vehicle loading and unloading. There is also space to provide written comments.
Although the city has created around 3,000 loading zones since December 2021, the 500 new spaces were the first round installed directly based on results from the online portal, which is still open and available for New Yorkers to use.
The DOT has prioritized installing loading zones since the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the rapid growth in e-commerce, the agency reports that delivery vehicles have increased, particularly on residential streets.
Because of this growth, trucks and other vehicles often need to double park to make deliveries, sometimes even blocking bike lanes and bus stops in addition to traffic.
“Nobody likes double parking and blocked bike and bus lanes,” DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said. “New Yorkers pinned down areas plagued by double parking and blocked bike and bus lanes and we responded with fast action at over 500 locations.”
Will trucks still double park?
The new zones are marked with signage such as “No Parking” and “Loading Zone” with specific hours of availability. In some areas, striped painting indicates where loading and unloading should occur.
However, delivery drivers still have to decide where to park their vehicles. While the DOT said there is no guarantee that a driver will choose to use a loading zone, the goal of creating the customized loading space is to decrease double parking and ongoing congestion in city streets.
The DOT said it is up to local police precincts to enforce laws on double parking in each neighborhood.
Some of the new loading zones replace parking availability — a luxury that is hard enough to come by in NYC. Other zones were installed in already existing “No Standing” spaces.
Other efforts to curb congestion
While the MTA congestion pricing plan has been making headlines, the DOT has implemented other programs, including LockerNYC, to help alleviate traffic buildup around the city.
The LockerNYC pilot program launched in April to give New Yorkers what the DOT describes as a “safe and secure option” for getting packages using lockers on public sidewalks.
The DOT created the program to reduce package thefts and the number of delivery truck trips.
The program is more than halfway through its year-long pilot run. The DOT plans to collect data to evaluate its success for potential expansion.
