Goldfeder Blasts City for Beach 116th Street Parking Meter Madness

Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder

Assemblyman Goldfeder pens letter to city Transportation Department urging replacement of malfunctioning muni-meters on popular commercial strip 

Goldfeder points to numerous complaints in recent months from residents about meters broken or unable to take forms of payments  

Rockaway Park, Queens – As warm temperatures give Rockaway families their first taste of the summer season to come, Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder (D – Rockaway Park) is looking ahead to one major issue that regularly plagues the community: broken parking meters on Beach 116th Street. This week, Assemblyman Goldfeder sent a letter to NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) calling on the city to replace the muni-meters along the beachfront commercial district. 

"Broken parking meters aren't just a blight on Beach 116th Street, they also discourage people from shopping at our great local, family owned businesses on the block," said Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder. "As Beach 116th Street and the entire community continue to recover from Sandy, we should ensure that the neighborhood is strong and that families continue to enjoy everything that Rockaway has to offer. Installing new, working muni-meters will go a long way in improving quality of life on Beach 116th Street."

In a letter to DOT Queens Borough Commissioner Nicole Garcia, Assemblyman Goldfeder called on the department to replace the dozen muni-meters located along the two-block Beach 116th Street commercial district. Goldfeder cited persistent complaints from residents over meters ceasing to work or not accepting cash or credit payments. Many motorists complain of parking tickets and losing time "meter shopping" in order to find a working meter in the area, the Assemblyman added. 

“Although some efforts have been done, what we need is a complete overhaul of the meters on the Beach 116^th Street. Residents come here and they can’t find a meter to pay for parking. So, they end up running into a store to buy something and come out with big parking ticket,” said Mark Mina, Executive Board Member, Beach 116^th Street Partnership.“We may have a shortage of meters but there’s definitely no shortage of meter maids.”

This isn't the first time Assemblyman Goldfeder has taken the city to task over parking woes on the popular beachfront strip. In late 2014, Goldfeder called on DOT to expedite the replacement of faulty muni-meters on the 200 block of Beach 116th Street after receiving complaints from local business owners. The Assemblyman also cited meters not accepting coins or frequently running out of ticket paper as common complaints. 

At the time, DOT representatives assured the Assemblyman that agency crews would resolve issues with the malfunctioning meters. However, in recent months, the Assemblyman's office again reports an uptick in complaints relating to the meters. 

This comes as the city is preparing to release an app to allow drivers to pay parking tickets by smartphone. The app will reportedly become available citywide by the end of 2016. For Assemblyman Goldfeder, this will do little to improve the parking situation ahead of anticipated record crowds during this summer beach season. 

"Each year, more and more families from Queens and throughout the city come to enjoy our beaches and local businesses. Having working parking meters will help improve their stay and provide a more pleasant experience for visitors and residents alike," concluded Goldfeder.