QNE_p011

QC06182015

FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.queenscourier.com JUNE 18, 2015 • THE QUEENS COURIER 11 LIC residents call on DOT to return hundreds of public parking spaces BY ANGY ALTAMIRANO aaltamirano@queenscourier.com @aaltamirano28 Residents in Long Island City want the Department of Transportation to know that its decision to take away hundreds of public parking spaces at one parking garage is not in their favor and the agency needs to return what belongs to the community. Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer gathered with angry residents on the morning of June 12 to call on the transportation agency to restore 330 public parking permits that were taken away by DOT at the Court Square Municipal Parking Garage, located at 45-40 Court Square. “The DOT a few months ago without consultation decided they were going to change the rules, they were going to make it more diffi cult for the people in this community to park their cars, make it more diffi - cult for them to get to work on time, take their kids to school, do all the things they need to do,” Van Bramer said. “These seem like small matters, but the truth is it’s the small things that make a big difference in the quality of life.” Along with removing over 50 parking spaces last December in order to make room for DOT vehicles, the policy of the garage was changed two months ago making 210 parking spaces available on a fi rstcome, fi rst-served basis. “It’s a wrong decision. It’s a foolish decision. It requires to be reversed not tomorrow but today,” resident Rama Rao said. “We are a community here. We contributed through Arris Lofts and other buildings around here to build Long Island City what it is today.” According to residents, for the past two months they have had to wait hours in line during days designated by the DOT in order for them to pay their existing monthly parking and also ensure they get the spots for the following month. “This is ‘The Hunger Games’ of monthly permit parking,” said P.C. Cheng, an LIC resident who has been parking at the garage since 2008. Lines of hundreds of people fi ll the parking garage during those days and people have to wait in the middle of active driveways, according to residents. They say parking spaces have also been taken away to make room for a DOT storage facility surrounded by a fence. Cindy Vitari, who has been living in the neighborhood since 2007, said last month her husband had to wait four hours and was late to work. “The sudden change is undemocratic. It’s not right for the residents of Long Island City,” Vitari said. Van Bramer said that his offi ce was never contacted in regard to the change and he is calling on the DOT to give the spaces back to the people that live and work in LIC. According to a DOT spokesperson, the DOT seeks a fair and effi cient balance between daily and monthly permits and after hearing concerns from local stakeholders, the agency decided to implement the policy change in order to allow motorists to apply for 210 monthly spaces on a fi rstcome, fi rst-served basis. LIC resident P.C. Cheng compares waiting on line with hundreds of people for hours each month to obtain a parking space to the”Hunger Games.” The remaining 120 spaces, which used to be monthly spaces, are now being used for short-term parking and according to the DOT no spaces are being lost with the change of policy. In regard to the spaces being taken by DOT vehicles, the agency’s operational fl eet, which carry speed camera equipment, is kept there to be in close proximity to the unit they serve and are dispatched THE COURIER/Photo by Angy Altamirano from. DOT also added that the spaces taken are not part of the 330 spaces made available to the public. DOT also plans to implement an electronic permit reservation system this summer that will allow for a faster process. The agency plans to review data obtained in the next several months and then make any necessary changes, if needed. Great rates like ours are always in season. 24-Month CD 1.25%APY* At Flushing Bank, we’re small enough to know you and large enough to provide you with the great rates you’re looking for. Hurry, an offer like this can’t last forever. For more information and to find out about our other great offers, visit your local Flushing Bank branch, call 800.581.2889 or visit www.FlushingBank.com. $5,000 minimum deposit *New money only. APY effective April 2, 2015. Annual percentage yield assumes principal and interest remain on deposit for a full year at current rate. Minimum deposit balance of $5,000 is required. Funds cannot be transferred from an existing Flushing Bank account. Premature withdrawals may be subject to bank and IRS penalties. Rates and offer are subject to change without notice. Flushing Bank is a registered trademark


QC06182015
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