A Parking Spot Nearby, But With a Price

A new service allows drivers in New York City to pay a fee to find an available parking spot in their vicinity.

1 minute read

April 13, 2010, 11:00 AM PDT

"Standing outside 477 Amsterdam Avenue one morning last week, we posted a query to see what spots were available nearby. Nothing at that instant, but someone had informed StreetParkNYC that in 20 minutes he would be leaving a spot 0.15 miles away. Getting the exact address costs $5, which we clicked to pay. Then we headed off, to 177 West 88th Street.

Just as promised, at 10:30 a.m., a fellow named Josh Fein got in his 2009 Black Acura MDX and drove off. He got $3 in his StreetParkNYC account, and we got a spot until the next morning. We tried twice more, with similar results: nothing perfect or immediate, but something, eventually, in the neighborhood."

Another effort, dubbed Roadify, takes a less market-based approach, simply relying on people to share information about open spaces in their area.

FULL STORY: Need a Spot? Give One

Friday, April 9, 2010 in The New York Times

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