New York Street Sweepers May Soon Rat You Out With New Camera Enforcement Initiative

The New York City Department of Sanitation may soon turn its street sweepers into “Big Brother,” arming the so-called “mechanical brooms” with enforcement cameras that will rat out motorists who don’t move their cars during alternate-side parking days.The new legislation, approved by New York City Council on Wednesday, would give street sweepers the ability to operate similarly to the city’s red-light camera and bus-lane enforcement programs, in which motorists caught on camera running red lights or blocking bus lanes are automatically issued tickets. The measure still requires approval from state lawmakers and Governor Kathy Hochul before becoming law. Nearly 500,000 cars violate street cleaning regulations every week, which the New York City Department of Sanitation commissioner, Gregory Anderson, said prevents street sweepers from cleaning more than 3,000 miles of streets. “That is theft, pure and simple,” Mr. Anderson said in a video posted on social media Thursday.Mr. Anderson blamed motorists who fail to move their cars on the allotted alternate-side parking days for “making our streets dirty.” Under the new program, motorists caught on a street sweeper’s camera will be hit with a $65 ticket in some parts of the city.Because it is “next to impossible” for NYPD traffic cops and sanitation enforcement agents to ticket offending cars, the cameras will allow for the city to “finally enforce the law with consistency.”The pilot program, which will put cameras on the DSNY’s fleet of 400-plus street sweepers, is projected to cost $35 million to launch.The initiative comes at a time when motorists are already contending with fewer parking spaces thanks to CitiBike rental docks and outdoor dining sheds, among other things. Parking may soon get worse for New Yorkers. Also on Wednesday, a Democratic council member from Manhattan, Gale A. Brewer, sponsored a new bill requiring the Department of Transportation to install at least 5,000 bike docking stations throughout the city over the next five years.“Every other corner has a Citi Bike station, which means fewer parking spots. Then there are bike lanes taking up even more spots. More parking meters are popping up everywhere. Buses are giving out tickets, and now this!” wrote one commenter, Tim Martinez, on X. “Driving should just be made illegal already!” he added.

New York Street Sweepers May Soon Rat You Out With New Camera Enforcement Initiative

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