ALBANY,
N.Y. – It's been almost a month since the Capital City enacted its brand
new permit parking plan forcing people living downtown to get permission to
park in their own neighborhoods.
Now the city's grace
period is almost up, meaning tickets for un-permitted parking will soon start
appearing on car windows.
With
the 30-day grace period almost up, Albany office Steve Smith says his
department has handed out more than 300 warning tickets prior to Friday's hard
deadline for city parking permits.
He
says that number isn't bad.
"Great
compliance so far, there are streets within the residential parking zone that
have no cars on them during the day that are open for residents – which is exactly
what it was intended to do.
The
system covers three zones surrounding the Empire State Plaza, which holds over
2700 parking spots.
Residents
and business owners are required to purchase permits, which cost $25. The system, which was successfully delayed for
decades by state unions, is meant to free up parking for residents rather than
state workers to enjoy the free parking.
This
Friday, the grace period for anyone that does not have a permit ends, and that
means the tickets go from being just a warning, to the real thing.
"The
residential parking is going to go into full effect with actual tickets being written
on Friday the fifteenth at 8 a.m. in the morning. Anybody who is parked on a
residential parking street without a permit is subject to a $65 parking ticket."
says Smith.
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