Tough Parking in Forest Hills

The black SUV behind me erupted with an irritated shriek as I slowed down to read the DOT sign that said, “One Hour Metered Parking.” Annoyed by the impatient motorist behind me, I sped away and made a right onto Austin Street, immediately getting stranded behind a double-parked truck. Traffic on the opposite side of the two-way road was dense; it was impossible to pass. The driver of the black SUV, who also made the right-hand turn, leaned on his horn again. “Where do you want me to go?!” I yelled into the rearview mirror.

I decided to make a U-turn, heading into a residential area of Forest Hills. After two rights and a left, a circular signpost caught my attention. It read, “Private Street. Permit Parking Only.” A couple of blocks further down, another DOT post indicated the stretch of public road I was about to enter was alternate-side parking only and parking restrictions would be going into effect in ten minutes.

When I finally found a space (a several minute walk from Austin Street), a pedestrian walking past my car must have discerned my frustration and said, “Parking is just horrendous here, man. There’s nothing you can do.”

With few parking spaces to spare on Austin Street and in the surrounding area of Forest Hills, Queens, some people opt to double-park their cars and trucks in the middle of roadways, causing traffic back-ups. Eric Isaac, who works in the area said, “One day a truck needed to unload and had nowhere to pull-in. Cars in that lane didn’t move for seven light changes.” He continued, “Surprisingly, people only started beeping after the third light change.”

According to Isaac, the few who find parking spaces aren’t finished in the parking war. “People are always out running to refill meters or switch their cars to the other side of the street on alternate side parking days. That’s just how it works here.”

An abundance of cars on the road coupled with city-regulated parking makes Austin Street a difficult place to find parking, and the area surrounding Austin Street offers little relief. To the south of the commercial stretch, roads become private, only members of a Forest Hills gated community can park there. To the north, Queens Boulevard, a multi-lane roadway, distances Austin Street’s patrons, commuters, and business owners from any additional parking spaces, while most of the streets in the area are decorated with alternate side parking signs.

Will Niklaus, a commuter who drives into Forest Hills, said, “I have to leave earlier when it’s an alternate side parking day. I spend more time searching for a spot, and I end up three blocks further from where I want to be.” Like most commuters, Niklaus cannot park at meters with one or two hour limits and is forced to search alternate side parking streets for spaces. He understands the necessity of alternate side parking, but thinks the city government should amend when these regulations are put into affect. “The city should change the times of alternate side parking to nights or early evenings so it won’t affect commuters trying to get to school or work.”

The New York City Department of Transportation doesn’t view alternate side parking as a hindrance. A 2008 study conducted by the DOT in Park Slope, Brooklyn, determined that “parking saturation” is the same no matter the status of alternate side parking, and that almost fifty percent of New Yorkers feel parking is equally difficult whether alternate side rules are suspended or implemented.

In Forest Hills, due to the many facets affecting parking, local government bodies are “guarded” when it comes to the parking situation faced by commuters, residents, and visitors. Frank Galluscio, the district manager of Queens Community Board 6, meets with the local police and fire captains every month to discuss various issues in the community. Galluscio said, “Parking is always on our agenda. We monitor ticket statistics compiled by the police department.” Though crime and moving violation statistics are available on the local 112^th precinct’s website, parking summonses are not currently public record. Galluscio added, “We take this issue very seriously.”

The community board tries to work with business owners when parking interferes with their daily operations. “The Chamber of Commerce offers merchants deals when it comes to parking, sometimes in the form of parking permits,” said Galluscio. In addition to parking permits, private lots work out deals with business owners who need to come and go as they please. Galluscio added, “Our goal is to keep things running smoothly… We just look to realistically communicate that parking is tight here.”

The district manager cites a concert held this past summer as an example of exemplary communication with local businesses and the public. Mumford and Sons, a British rock/folk band performed at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, located a few blocks away from Austin Street, drawing an estimated sixteen thousand people to the area. Streets were closed to traffic, and a lot of parking was reserved for concert personnel. Galluscio said, “People were told parking would be a premium and wouldn’t be available that night. Concert tickets were labeled ‘Green Event’ and encouraged people to take the MTA or LIRR trains to the show.”

Local businesses welcomed the influx of people coming into Forest Hills even though it meant less parking was available. One Forest Hills business owner said, “Businesses just need accessibility. As long as people can get here… that’s most important.”

On the day of the concert, Station House, a bar that sits in-between the tennis stadium and Austin Street, was packed. Paolo Chioni, a server at the restaurant, said, “We definitely were not affected negatively by the concert. A lot of people came into the bar after the show ended.” Chioni continued, “Even regularly, it seems a lack of parking doesn’t really hurt us. People either walk here or just look for parking… a little further away.”

Patrons of the local businesses, who have to drive to get to the area, feel they are the ones left out of the situation. In addition to commuting into Forest Hills, Will Niklaus enjoys going to restaurants and shops in the area but often times opts not to visit his favorite hangouts. “If I’m looking for something quick, easy, or convenient I won’t go over to Austin Street. Parking is too tough.”

For Frank Galluscio and Queens Community Board 6, protecting the parking spots on Austin Street and open, realistic communication with the public is the key to the situation. “Right now we don’t want to lose any more parking spots than we already have… People understand parking is something they have to contend with. They don’t love it, but they understand it.”