The city Department of Transportation has installed 500 new loading zones to address double-parking and blocked bus and bike lanes, officials said on Monday.
The zones were created in response to public feedback gathered via a web platform launched last year that allows New Yorkers to report blocked bike, bus or travel lanes and instances of double-parking. The submissions are compiled into a map, highlighting problem areas for the transportation department to address.
“Nobody likes double-parking and blocked bike and bus lanes! 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,” DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said in a statement. “These new loading zones are helping to alleviate congestion and improve street safety and we encourage New Yorkers to report problem areas.”
The Department of Transportation has installed more than 3,000 loading zones since 2021, following a City Council mandate to expand loading zones to reduce congestion and improve safety.
The effort is part of a broader push by the department to mitigate the negative impacts of delivery trucks. Other initiatives include micro-hubs for transferring goods to smaller vehicles and an off-hours delivery program aimed at reducing traffic during peak times.