In mid-March, the New York City (NYC) Department of Transportation (DOT) issued parking permits to NYC health care workers to facilitate their ability to get to work and serve patients. GNYHA worked with DOT and our members to allocate these permits, leaving specific allocation decisions to facility leadership. The permits had an expiration date of July 31, 2020, which DOT has now generously extended through December 31, 2020. DOT has asked GNYHA to share the below communication from DOT Chief Operations Officer Margaret Forgione.
Please also carefully review the attached New York City COVID-19 Parking Privileges document.
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To Health Care Organizations Using DOT-issued COVID-19 Parking Permits,
Due to the on-going COVID-19 pandemic, the New York City Department of Transportation will be extending the expiration date of the currently issued COVID-19 Heath/Medical on-street parking permit through December 31, 2020. This serves as notification that the permit will expire not on July 31, 2020 but will be extended to December 31, 2020. DOT will not be re-issuing a new parking permit. Instead, we will notify the NYPD and the Department of Finance of this permit change to ensure that they are aware.
DOT acknowledges the hard work and dedication that our healthcare professionals have shown through these very trying times. In addition, DOT understands there has been confusion regarding the use and limitations of the current parking permit. Please be aware that these permits do not allow for parking in “No Standing Zones” which include parking in active bus lanes. In fact, the City does not issue any type of permit that allows for parking in bus lanes. Please stress to your staff the importance of reading parking signs carefully to determine where the permit can and cannot be used and further explain that these permits do not allow for parking in bus lanes when the bus lane is active. This applies to bus lanes which are in effect 24/7 and those which have limited hours of operation.
You should also be aware that bus lanes are enforced via fixed and mobile bus lane cameras. The fixed bus lane cameras enforce vehicles illegally traveling in the bus lane. The mobile camera operation places cameras on the dashboard of MTA buses which enforces vehicles illegally parked for over five minutes in the bus lane. The two systems work together to enhance bus transit service and reduce travel times for mass transit customers throughout the city. As you may be aware bus service has become an even more important component of our transit system as we proceed through the recovery phases of the pandemic.
Again, thank you all you are doing and let us know if you need any further information. You may reach out to Bill French with any questions.