What’s going on?
New York City put alternate side parking on hold after a big January storm buried streets under nearly a foot of snow on Jan. 25. With a lingering deep freeze, snow hasn’t melted away, and the parking rules have been suspended across all five boroughs for weeks. The result: plenty of cars are still half-buried, acting like accidental ice sculptures and free long-term storage.
Snow, stubborn cars and the dig-out life
Some drivers managed to dig their vehicles out and keep moving, but lots of cars never budged. Big snow piles and chunks of ice have become a common sight, and in many places cars are surrounded by litter and frozen debris — a chilly combo of eyesore and inconvenience.
A Chambers Street example
One standout case popped up on Chambers Street: a Hyundai Sonata with federal plates parked near military recruiting offices and a pair of recruitment stations. It stayed put after the storm, buried in snow and ringed by trash, which suggested it hadn’t been driven since that snowy day. Locals assumed it belonged to a nearby Army recruiting office; military spokespeople didn’t immediately respond when asked about the car’s status. The vehicle did get moved the day after an inquiry into its condition.
What the city is doing about it
The city says the alternate-side pause gives sanitation crews breathing room to tackle hardened snow and focus melt efforts in set spots. Officials activated snow melters that have processed a staggering amount of snow — roughly 400 million pounds — since the cleanup began right after the storm.
Voices from the street and the experts
People on the block weren’t thrilled about the abandoned-looking cars. A nearby shop owner urged whoever’s responsible to clean up and move the vehicle. Transportation activists have also pointed to the pileups as a chance to call out how much curb space is used for parked cars and to push for changes in parking policy.
Transportation analyst Sam Schwartz suggested the situation is an opening for Mayor Zohran Mamdani to take a hard look at city vehicle usage, noting that vehicles left unused for weeks raise questions about whether they’re necessary at all.
Why this matters (aside from the comedy of frozen hubcaps)
Beyond the visual oddity of cars wearing winter coats of ice, there are practical issues: blocked sidewalks and curbs, trash and safety risks, and a reminder that valuable curb space is often treated like free storage. Advocates say the piles of snow, trash and immobile vehicles are an ugly safety hazard and a reminder that parking policy affects more than just car owners.
Bottom line
With alternate side parking suspended and snow still staking its claim on the curb, New Yorkers are seeing an unofficial exhibit of neglected cars around the city. Whether this turns into a serious push for reform, a mayoral review of unused city vehicles, or just another winter anecdote remains to be seen. For now, keep your shovel handy and your sense of humor intact.
