(a) Yield signs. The operator of a vehicle approaching a YIELD or YIELD-RIGHT-OF-WAY sign shall slow to a reasonable speed for existing conditions of traffic and visibility, stopping if necessary, and shall yield the right-of-way to all traffic on the intersecting street which is so close as to constitute an immediate hazard. Proceeding past such sign with resultant collision or other impediment or interference with traffic on the intersecting street shall be deemed prima facie evidence of a violation of this rule.
(b) Obstruction of traffic.
(1) Traffic lane. No person shall operate a vehicle in a manner which obstructs traffic in lanes specifically designated for the movement of traffic. Such lanes include, but are not limited to, no standing zones and no stopping zones.
(2) Spillback. No operator shall enter an intersection and its crosswalks unless there is sufficient unobstructed space beyond the intersection and its crosswalks in the lane in which he/she is traveling to accommodate the vehicle, notwithstanding any traffic control signal indication to proceed.
(c) Restrictions on crossing sidewalks.
(1) Driveways. No person shall drive within any sidewalk area except at a permanent or temporary driveway.
(2) Avoiding intersections. No person shall drive across a sidewalk or upon a driveway in order to avoid an intersection.
(3) Bicycles and limited use vehicles.
(i) No person shall ride or operate a bicycle upon any sidewalk area unless permitted by sign. This prohibition shall not apply to the operation of bicycles with wheels of less than 26 inches in diameter upon the sidewalk by children of 12 years or less in age.
(ii) No person shall ride, park or operate a limited use vehicle within any sidewalk area except where permitted by sign. This prohibition shall not apply to the pushing of a limited use vehicle within a sidewalk area or to the pushing of such a vehicle to an authorized parking area.
(d) Restrictions on backing. No person shall back a vehicle into an intersection or over a crosswalk and shall not in any event or at any place back a vehicle unless such movement can be made in safety.
(e) Play streets. Whenever authorized signs are erected indicating any street or part thereof as a play street or play area, no person shall drive a vehicle upon any such street or area between 8 a.m. and one-half hour after sunset, unless other hours are prescribed by signs, except operators of vehicles having business or whose residences are within such restricted area. Any such operator shall exercise the greatest care in driving upon any such street.
(f) Restrictions on learners.
(1) An operator with a learner's permit shall not operate a motor vehicle in any park, on any play street, or along any block in which there is an entrance to a public playground or park.
(2) The licensed operator accompanying an operator with a learner's permit shall not permit such learner to violate paragraph (f)(1), above.
(g) Following emergency vehicles prohibited. The operator of any vehicle other than one on official public business shall not follow any emergency vehicle traveling in response to an emergency call closer than 200 feet, nor drive into nor park such vehicle within the block where such emergency work is in progress.
(h) Driving on divided highways.
(1) Whenever any highway is divided into two or more roadways by an intervening space, physical barrier, or clearly indicated dividing section so constructed as to impede vehicular traffic, every vehicle shall be driven only upon the right-hand roadway unless directed or permitted to use another roadway by official traffic control devices or law enforcement officers. No vehicle shall be driven over, across or within any such dividing space, barrier or section, except through an opening in such physical barrier or dividing section or space or at a crossover or intersection, as established, unless specifically authorized by public authority.
(2) No vehicle shall make a U-turn on a divided highway, except where permitted by sign or at the direction of a law enforcement officer.
(i) Towing of vehicles on parkways, expressways, drives, highways, interstate routes, thruways, and bridges.
(1) Restrictions. No person shall cause or permit a disabled vehicle to be towed except by a tow truck under permit issued by the commissioner of the Police Department, or by a Police Department tow truck and then only by such tow truck on the main roadway, including the berm or shoulder adjacent to said roadways or entrances and exits of the following parkways, expressways, thruways, and bridges:
Belt Parkway System
Bronx River Parkway
Cross Island Parkway
Grand Central Parkway
Henry Hudson Parkway
Hutchinson River Parkway
Jackie Robinson Parkway
Laurelton Parkway
Mosholu Parkway Extension
Richmond Parkway
Shore Parkway
Southern Parkway
Brooklyn-Queens Expressway
Bruckner Expressway
Clearview Expressway
Cross Bronx Expressway and Extension
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Drive
Gowanus Expressway
Harlem River Drive
Long Island Expressway
Major Deegan Expressway
Martin Luther King Expressway
Miller Highway
Nassau Expressway
Northern Boulevard from Astoria Boulevard and Ditmars Boulevard
Entrance to Linden Place Exit
Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway (New England Section)
Prospect Expressway
Route 25A (Elevated Section) from 112th Place to 126th Street
Sheridan Expressway
Staten Island Expressway
Throgs Neck Expressway
Van Wyck Expressway and Extension
West Shore Expressway
Whitestone Expressway
Brooklyn Bridge
Manhattan Bridge
Queensboro Bridge
Williamsburg Bridge
Alexander Hamilton Bridge
Eastern Boulevard (Bruckner Boulevard) Bridge
Hutchinson River Parkway Extension Bridge
Kosciuszko Bridge
Midtown Highway Bridge
Mill Basin Bridge
Third Avenue Bridge between Manhattan and Bronx
Unionport Bridge
Whitestone Expressway Bridge
Willis Avenue Bridge
(2) Police commissioner may waive requirements. The commissioner of the Police Department in his/her discretion may waive and reimpose the requirement for a permit in the case of any specific bridge, highway, parkway, expressway, drive, interstate route and thruway.
(3) Road service and towing rates. For the purpose of this paragraph, road service shall mean service performed that will enable a vehicle to continue under it's own power.
(i) Road service, all vehicles
(A) Gasoline delivery, not including cost of gas.....$25.00
(B) Removing each flat tire and replacing each with spare tire.....$25.00
(C) Battery charge.....$25.00
(ii) Passenger cars, hoist and tow, per mile and storage fees. Hoist and tow fees, per mile fees, and storage fees for all passenger cars towed pursuant to arterial tow service permits in the City of New York, shall be those provided for such services in subdivisions a and b of 6 RCNY § 2-368.
(iii) Vehicles other than passenger cars
(A) Any vehicle with a maximum gross vehicle weight over 4,500 lbs. and under 10,000 lbs.
(a) Preparation, hoist and tow, including first mile or fraction thereof.....$125.00
(b) Each additional mile.....$5.00
(c) Storage per 24-hour period.....$35.00
(B) Any two axle truck or bus with a maximum gross vehicle weight from 10,000 to 18,000 lbs.
(a) Preparation, hoist and tow, including first mile or fraction thereof.....$175.00
(b) Each additional mile.....$10.00
(c) Use of under-lift.....$50.00
(d) Storage per 24-hour period.....$50.00
(C) Any two axle truck or bus with a maximum gross vehicle weight from 18,000 to 26,000 lbs.
(a) Preparation, hoist and tow, including first mile or fraction thereof.....$250.00
(b) Each additional mile.....$10.00
(c) Use of under-lift.....$50.00
(d) Storage per 24-hour period.....$50.00
(D) Any truck, bus or tractor trailer with a maximum gross vehicle weight above 26,000 lbs.
(a) Preparation, hoist and tow, including first mile or fraction thereof.....$300.00
(b) Each additional mile.....$10.00
(c) Use of under-lift.....$100.00
(d) Storage for tractor, per 24-hour period.....$50.00
(e) Storage for bus or trailer, per 24-hour period.....$75.00
(E) Labor per 1/4 hour per truck or per person or tow operator.....$50.00
Applies only to vehicles over 4,500 lbs. in the following situations: overturned, wedged on guardrails, off-road recovery (embankment) and may apply to jackknifed, wedged under overpass/bridge, or broken/defective axle in which recovery (off-loading or positioning) must be performed prior to actual tow.
(F) Special equipment such as fork lifts, cranes, loading equipment, trailer, tractor, front end loaders and dump trucks will be considered rented equipment. The cost for such equipment will be billed on a daily basis with the approval of the Department.
(G) Tire service. If subcontracting to a tire company is required for on-road service, the tow vehicle must remain on the scene. Billing will be calculated for actual work time at $100.00 per hour. Subcontracting for off-roadway service, no tow truck required to remain on scene: a one-time charge of $55.00.
(j) Yearly and single issue permits for use of roadways.
(1) General information. Vehicles normally prohibited from roadways may be issued yearly or single-use permits by the Department of Transportation upon application in writing. Such permits must be displayed so that they are visible through the windshield. The Commissioner or his/her designee may charge a fee for such permits equal to the cost of administering the permit program.
(2) Eligible groups and vehicles. Yearly permits are available to the following, as well as to any other groups or vehicles specified by the Commissioner or his/her designee:
(i) companies that transport passengers to and from airports;
(ii) commuter and shuttle services;
(iii) ambulettes;
(iv) school bus companies;
(v) buses;
(vi) medical, blood and human service programs;
(vii) not-for-profit groups going to and from special events;
(viii) vehicles that service businesses accessible only by use of parkways; and
(ix) service vehicles that repair and maintain highways and highway facilities.
(3) Authorized roadways. Yearly and single issue permits will be granted only for the following parkways or any other area designated by the Department of Transportation:
(i) Belt Parkway
(ii) Bronx River Parkway
(iii) Cross Island Parkway
(iv) Eastern Parkway
(v) Grand Central Parkway: Between the TriBoro Bridge and the Van Wyck Expressway
(vi) Harlem River Drive
(vii) Henry Hudson Parkway
(viii) Hutchinson River Parkway
(ix) Mosholu Parkway
(x) Pelham Parkway
(xi) Richmond Parkway
(xii) Willowbrook Parkway For reasons of safety, the use of these roadways may be limited.
(4) Duration. Permits are issued for the minimum hours and days essential for the activity. Bus permits are valid only while transporting passengers. Yearly permits are issued on an annual basis on dates determined by the Department of Transportation. These permits are renewable by reapplication in writing to the Department of Transportation. The Commissioner or his/her designee may, at his/her discretion, issue, extend or revoke any permit.
(k) Express lanes.
(1) Restrictions. Wherever signs are erected on highways or bridges giving notice of express lanes, except as otherwise posted, no person shall operate a vehicle other than a vehicle as specified in paragraph (2) of this subdivision, an emergency vehicle as specified in paragraph (4) of this subdivision, or a vehicle classified as an HOV, with or without EZPASS as specified on such sign, within a designated express lane on a highway or bridge during the hours specified on such signs.
(2) Buses and Access-A-Ride vehicles. Vehicles registered as buses in New York State, vehicles registered out-of-state that are equivalent to New York State registered buses, Access-A-Ride vehicles and motorcycles shall be eligible to use express lanes on highways or bridges pursuant to this subdivision.
(3) Taxis and for-hire vehicles. Medallion taxis and for-hire vehicles duly licensed by the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission carrying at least one passenger shall be allowed to use express lanes on highways or bridges. Medallion taxis and for-hire vehicles without passengers shall not be allowed to use express lanes on highways or bridges.
(4) Emergency vehicles. Emergency vehicles responding to emergencies shall be allowed to use express lanes on highways or bridges. Emergency vehicles not responding to emergencies shall not be allowed to use express lanes on highways or bridges.
(l) Use of the Grand Central Parkway by certain vehicles. Notwithstanding any other provision of these rules to the contrary, single-unit vehicles with no more than three axles and ten tires may operate in both directions on the roadway of the Grand Central Parkway, between the Triborough Bridge and the western leg of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. Buses will continue to be prohibited from operating on the Grand Central Parkway without consent.
(m) Use of the Korean War Veterans Parkway by certain vehicles. Notwithstanding any other provision of these rules to the contrary, not more than forty-ton motor vehicles commonly classified as construction trucks owned and/or operated by the Department of Environmental Protection of the City of New York, its agents or contractors shall be permitted the use of the Korean War Veterans Parkway during remediation of the Brookfield landfill in Staten Island for the purpose of the remediation of such landfill, provided that such trucks comply with all other provisions of applicable state and local law, including but not limited to 34 RCNY § 4-15.
(n) Mopeds restricted. No moped as defined in 34 RCNY § 4-19(a) is permitted to operate on the Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan Bridge, Williamsburg Bridge, and Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, or on any limited access highway, or on any bicycle lane or path.
(Amended City Record 4/30/2019, eff. 5/30/2019; amended City Record 1/10/2020, eff. 2/9/2020; amended City Record 12/14/2021, eff. 12/14/2021)