Albany, NY – New York is one step closer to becoming the first state in the nation to require regular inspections of parking structures after the State Assembly passed a bill to do this earlier this week. Following a number of failures of parking garages locally and across the state, Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo introduced the legislation which would require inspections by a licensed professional engineer once every five years.

“Following several incidents with parking ramps across the region, I was surprised to learn that there are currently no regulations in place for regular inspections,” said Assemblywoman Lupardo. “As infrastructure across the state continues to age, we need to be proactive in taking every step possible to protect the people of New York. This is a common sense practice that should be happening in every state around the country.”

The bill would also require inspection of structures that have been compromised by a natural disaster or accident, even if such an incident happens within the five year period in which a garage has already been inspected. Senate companion legislation is sponsored by Senator Tom O’Mara and is currently awaiting a vote on the Senate floor.

This legislation comes following a new training course offered for local code enforcement officers by the Department of State; another safety measure requested by Lupardo. Even with the additional training being conducted by DOS, a licensed professional engineer in some cases may be in a better position to assess structural soundness. The bill has been endorsed by the American Council of Engineering Companies of New York.