It appears that it is open season on motorists trying to find meter-free parking on E. Tremont Avenue in Throggs Neck.
A newly installed ‘no parking’ sign in front of the Tosca Marquis catering hall, located at 4034 E. Tremont Avenue, is difficult to see because a tree obscures it.
Many unwitting motorists are getting tickets because of the obscured sign in front of the hall designated as a no parking zone from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Saturday. There is no clear indication as to where this parking regulation ends on the street. The sign has only one arrow pointing north to the curb in front of the dining hall. The entire area is now designated for loading and unloading in what had formerly been two metered spots.
“The sign is obstructed by the tree, so I didn’t even notice it,” said a motorist named Milton, who was parking in front of the catering hall on Friday, October 9. “I would be really mad if I had gotten a ticket. It is not like there is a parking meter here.”
Meters were removed from in front of Tosca Marquis in the summer, and the front of the building is now free of motor vehicles for valet parking. Many motorists who are unaccustomed to the change have received tickets. A lucky few have received warnings.
“I almost got a ticket there myself, but the traffic agent saw me in my city uniform and gave me a warning about the new regulations,” said Tim McAllister, a motorist who parks nearby. “They took down the meters in front of the building in the early summer, but I didn’t even see the new sign. I am glad the agent cut me a break.”
Despite an official sign affixed to a pole in front of the building, motorists were observed parking there without any hesitation, until the new regulation was pointed out to them. Many found the fact that the tree obscured the sign reason enough to fight any summonsing at the location.
“I can’t see the sign because it is being blocked by a tree,” said Louis Gonzalez, a former Co-op City police officer, who over a 20-year career wrote many parking tickets. “This parking regulation seems a little extreme. If they really want no one to stand here, they should put a bright red ‘no standing’ sign that is clearly visible in front of the building.”
The NYC Department of Transportation will look into improving the signage by making it clearer as to where the no parking regulation ends.
A manager inside of Tosca’s said that neither the restaurant’s nor catering hall’s management was responsible for the new parking regulations on the street.
