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December 6, 2000 10:32 AM, EST

New York City is infamous for streets clogged with double-parked delivery vans and commercial vehicles continually circling for a place to pull over. City officials hope the parking meter will come to the rescue.

In an attempt to alleviate congestion in midtown Manhattan, the New York City Department of Transportation has ordered commercial vehicles to use only metered spaces in an area bound by West 43rd and West 48th streets, with the exception of West 47th between Fifth and Sixth avenues.

The parking program is in effect Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. The metered spaces are free of charge other times, a move meant to encourage drivers to make deliveries when traffic is lighter, such as late-night or early-morning hours, according to The New York Times.

Meter prices increase geometrically as time goes by: $1 for one hour, $3 for two hours and $6 for three hours.

For the full story, see the Dec. 4 print edition of Transport Topics. .