Parking Meters Getting a Rate Increase

Parking meters will soon cost an extra 25 cents an hour across the city, a change likely to impact shoppers in heavily-trafficked areas.

Currently, shopping at most meters in Queens is set at 25 cents for every 20 minutes of parking time, or 75 cents per hour.

As of Jan. 3, the Department of Transportation has announced on its website, parking in Queens will be 25 cents for every 15 minutes. That's $1 for every hour across the borough.

"The City has picked a heck of a time to hurt small businesses," said a spokesman for Councilman Dan Halloran, R-Whitesone. "This increase is a disincentive for shoppers and takes money out of the pockets of our city's small business owners."

"It will hurt business on Bell [Blvd.], especially during the day, " said Gregg Sullivan of the Bayside Village Business Improvement District. "I understand that the city needs to make money," added Sullivan. "But [when] you take from one side you're hurting another," he said, speaking of business returns.

Representatives of the Department of Transportation did not answer any questions about how much signage, if any, would be posted to warn drivers of the rate increase at parking meters.