Gov. Hochul wants to ban parking near NYC elementary school crosswalks

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul wants to eliminate certain parking spaces near New York City elementary schools in hopes of bolstering pedestrian safety.

The Democratic governor’s proposal, which she’s expected to lay out in her annual State of the State message Tuesday, would change state law to prohibit parking within 20 feet of crosswalks in elementary school zones within the five boroughs.

The idea is to make it easier for drivers of passing vehicles to be able to see pedestrians — in this case, young children — without parked cars obstructing the view. New York City is home to more than 1,800 public and charter schools; Hochul’s proposal would apply to those that house classes up to 5th grade.

“When parents send their kids to school, they deserve the peace of mind that their kids will be safe getting to the classroom,” Hochul said in a statement to Gothamist.

State law already prohibits parking within 20 feet of any crosswalks — a concept known by pedestrian-safety advocates as “daylighting” intersections.

But New York City has a carveout that allows it to set its own rules for the "parking, standing, stopping and backing of vehicles.” The city’s rules only prohibit parking within a crosswalk — not next to one — which preserves thousands of parking spaces that would otherwise be eliminated by the state law. The city is home to roughly 40,000 intersections.

For years, advocates have been pushing the city to adhere to the state law, arguing that if it did, fewer people would get hit by cars. In 2023, Mayor Eric Adams pledged to “daylight” 1,000 intersections across the city each year, though Gothamist reported in December that his administration is behind schedule.

Hochul’s proposal would scale back the city’s carveout and require it to follow the state’s 20-foot buffer for crosswalks, but only near elementary schools.

The governor is scheduled to deliver her State of the State address at 1 p.m.