Bronx woman slammed with parking tickets, asks city to clarify rules

After getting hit with parking violations, Soundview’s Evelyn Fortis is asking the city to clarify the parking rules on her block.

News 12 Staff

Jan 27, 2020, 10:38 PM

Updated 1,558 days ago

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After getting hit with parking violations, Soundview’s Evelyn Fortis is asking the city to clarify the parking rules on her block.
She lives near 174th Street and Harrod Avenue, often parking her car there. But recently, she’s been getting tickets and was even towed.
“People have been getting ticketed here every day,” Fortis told News 12. “Last week they just towed me.”
Fortis said that her car was ticketed last week and towed for parking in an alleged bus stop. She parked in the first area of a painted parking alcove, past the bus stop sign and before the street cleaning sign. She is wondering why the alcove painted isn’t further back if drivers can’t park there.
“People are coming out, they look at the ticket, they're taking pictures." Fortis said "I guess every cop knows about this spot and they just come here and they ticket, ticket, ticket.”
She tried to fight the ticket she received this month, but she received this response: “The bus stop occupies the entire block unless there is a parking sign that allows parking. There is no intervening sign between the respondent’s vehicle and the bus stop sign.”
News 12 did find what seems to be a no parking poster in that area, however it is seemingly torn down and illegible. Fortis is hoping the city can clarify this issue to prevent others from paying these tickets.
“Why don’t they just fix that mark and make it, you know, less confusing on the people?” Fortis asked. “It’s like the Bronx is just trying to take money out of everyone. It’s already hard enough out here.”
News 12 reached out to the Department of Transportation and received the following response:
“In August of 2019, the bus stop was expanded 33 feet to the west to accommodate articulated buses. The placement of the sign outlining alternate side parking rules demarcates the start of the parking zone and the extent of the bus stop, which is now 133 feet in length from Harrod Avenue. We are taking steps to adjust the pavement markings around the curbside parking area to reflect the extension of the bus stop.”
 


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