From the Yonkers Police Department:
You may have seen these around…
They are called “SafetySticks” and this is the first full week of a no-cost pilot program that Yonkers PD has embarked on in partnership with the City of Yonkers, Parking Violations Bureau, and Municipal Parking Services (MPS). It’s the latest initiative to combat congestion on our roadways by ensuring that bus stops are clear so that buses can pull completely out of the lane of traffic and don’t block the roadway, allowing other traffic to move freely.
The MPS SafetyStick is a smart, solar-powered device designed to keep our streets safer and more accessible. They can be installed near fire hydrants, bus stops, and other restricted areas to automatically detect when a vehicle is parked illegally and record the violation. This technology helps ensure that critical spaces remain clear for emergency services, public transit, and pedestrians—improving safety, accessibility, and fairness for everyone in the community.
There are currently 7 devices deployed:
(3) Central Park Avenue bus stop (by the entrance to MGM Empire City)
(2) 15 Palisade Avenue bus stop
(1) 10 N Broadway bus stop
(1) Doyle Park bus stop (274 Ashburton Avenue)
In other areas of the country, these devices can send automated tickets to car owners. Currently, these are just being used in a data-gathering pilot program to help address illegal parking, and there is NO ENFORCEMENT action being taken by these sticks.
We repeat- you will NOT receive an automated ticket if you trigger one of these devices. You may, however, receive a ticket from a Police Officer or Parking Enforcement Officer who is in the area.
We’re still testing how these devices look and operate, so for now, we’re just using these devices to help allocate enforcement resources to certain problem areas. If we ever move to an enforcement period with these devices, we’ll be sure to update our whole community and have conspicuous signage in the areas where they are being used.
We know traffic congestion is annoying- illegal parking is a big contributor to it. We appreciate our community understanding that we’re always exploring new ways to keep our streets safe!