Over 100 parking spots removed to make room for bike lanes in the Bronx

Residents are frustrated because they say parking is already hard to find. They say now with the whole stretch of Southern Boulevard gone, it has them wondering where they are going to park now.

News 12 Staff

May 17, 2021, 11:59 PM

Updated 1,242 days ago

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Over 100 parking spots have been removed in the Belmont section of the Bronx to make room for bike lanes, but the move is drawing the ire of some neighbors.
Signs have been changed from East 182nd Street to East Fordham Road, which is about three-quarters of a mile. They say “No Standing 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. All Days.” 
Signs from the Department of Transportation are up to show that bike lanes will be implemented. 
Residents are frustrated because they say parking is already hard to find. They say now with the whole stretch of Southern Boulevard gone, it has them wondering where they are going to park now. 
They also say they weren’t given a heads up. 
Dozens say they woke up to $115 tickets and that many were even towed in addition to getting a ticket. 
Residents are demanding refunds from the city and say they can't afford it and claim they weren’t given any notice. 
“This wouldn’t happen in Chelsea. This wouldn’t happen on Madison Avenue. Don’t come to the Bronx and do that to us. We are working class people. When I used to come home from work, I had to park down by Fordham University and take the bus back to my community. We’re not standing for this,” a resident tells News 12. 
The DOT held multiple meetings over the years to get feedback from the community, but some residents tell News 12 they were under the impression that it was never finalized because of the pushback. 
Unless DOT backtracks, residents will be left circling their neighborhood looking for a spot. 
News 12 reached out to DOT for comment and has not heard back yet.