As if finding a spot wasn’t tough enough!
Residents of Stryker Court in Gravesend are fuming that the city cut the block’s on-street parking spaces in half overnight without any warning. The Department of Transportation put up “no standing” signs on the one side of the road between Stryker and W. First streets about three weeks ago, because someone complained that emergency vehicles cannot navigate the narrow byway, according officials. But locals say it has never been a problem in the past, and they need their parking spaces back.
“Stryker Court has had parking on both sides for over 75 years. How did Stryker Court alone become too narrow overnight?” said Ronald Sartini, who has lived on the block for 42 years. “The parking spaces on Stryker Court are used by these homeowners, their tenants, visitors to these homes. This move is a major life change for these people. All these people need to park their cars somewhere.”
The Department of Transportation did not respond to multiple questions about its reasoning, but the head of the local community board said an area resident complained that an ambulance could not get through, and then transit workers decided that the block was too narrow for parking on both sides.
“This was a safety issue. An ambulance was having a hard time exiting the street, DOT measured, and the street is too narrow to accommodate moving traffic and both sides parking,” said Community Board 15 chairwoman Theresa Scavo.
But even the block’s elderly residents are more concerned about having a place to park than an ambulance not reaching them, according to one senior.
“That’s a lie, very seldom do we get an ambulance. That was never the problem,” said Eleanor Molinari, 90, who has mobility issues and relies on being able to find parking near her home.
The city thoroughly reviewed the block before making the changes, a Department of Transportation spokeswoman said.
“The changes were made after a thorough review and analysis of the stretch. Parking still remains on the opposite side of the street,” she said. “If residents have concerns, they should reach out to their local community board or 311.”
