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September 08, 2009
TRAFFIC COMMISSION EXPANDS NON-PERMIT PARKING RULES; PARKING SOLUTIONS TASK FORCE EXPANDS MEMBERSHIP
List of “Major” Streets Where Visitors Can Park Grows to 20; Advisory Parking Body Adds Arts and Parking Advocacy Members
SOMERVILLE - Acting Director of Traffic and Parking James Kotzuba has announced that the Somerville Traffic Commission voted at its August 20th meeting to create special permit rules that will maintain a large reservoir of day and evening parking spaces for non-permitted drivers on 20 major streets across the city. The new rules, which allow of 2-hour parking unless otherwise posted, and require resident permits only during the hours of 2:30 a.m. to 8 a.m., are designed to preserve visitor spaces as Somerville moves toward implementation of citywide permit parking.
"This adjustment in the permit parking plan was originally proposed by the Parking Solutions Task Force created by the Mayor in June," Kotzuba said. "But the Task Force only asked for eight streets. The list was expanded quite a bit because of input we received from residents and businesses. What this does is give non-residents more spaces to use except in the very early morning hours, so people coming to Somerville to shop, dine or visit friends aren't dependent solely on meters or the use of visitor passes.
In a separate announcement, Kotzuba said that the fourteen-member Parking Solutions Task Force (PSTF) would be adding two new members. "One of the most active groups in organizing around parking issues is the Somerville Parking Advocacy and Reform Coalition, or SPARC," said Kotzuba. The Mayor has asked the head of SPARC, Courtney Koslow, to join the Task force in its ongoing efforts to implement new parking policies. He has also responded to a request made at the August 13th Traffic Board hearing to appoint someone to the PSTF who directly represents the interests of our artists and arts community. Kotzuba said he expected to be able to name an appointee within the next week to 10 days.
The Traffic Commission vote approved an amendment to the city-wide permit parking regulation to implement 2-hour parking except by permit from 8 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. and permit parking only from 2:30a.m. to 8 a.m. (except Sundays and Holidays) on the following streets or portions thereof (unless otherwise posted):
- Beacon Street
- Boston Ave (Pearson Ave to Broadway)
- Bow St (#41-#68)
- Broadway
- Central St (Summer St to Highland Ave, and Cleveland St to Monmouth St)
- College Ave (Powderhouse Rotary to Morrison Ave)
- Cross St (Broadway to McGrath Highway)
- Elm St
- Highland Ave
- Holland St
- Lowell St (Somerville Ave to approximately 100' northerly, and Richardson St to Medford St)
- Medford St
- Pearl St (Medford St to Bradley St)
- School St (Knapp St to Somerville Ave)
- Somerville Ave
- Summer St (School St to Prescott St)
- Vernon St (Central St to end of Rogers Foam Co. property)
- Walnut St (Bow St to Sanborn Ave)
- Washington St
- Westwood St (Central St to end of Somerville Museum property)
In addition, the commission voted to extend the same regulations (2hr parking unless otherwise posted with permit parking only from 2:30 a.m. to 8 a.m.) to a number of streets that currently have time restrictions rather than permit parking. These streets include: Barton St (Broadway to 60ft north of Broadway); Bristol Rd (west side, 25ft north of Broadway extending 60ft, and east side 40ft north of Broadway extending 80ft); Chapel St; Herbert St (20ft east of Day St extending 40ft); Ivaloo St (Harrison St to Park St); Josephine Ave (Broadway extending 78ft south); Lowden Ave (west side, Broadway extending 20ft south and east side, 20ft south of Broadway extending 40ft); Meacham Rd (west side, 55ft northeast of Lester Terrace extending 270ft and east side, 95ft northeast of Glover Circle, extending 190ft); Newbury St (Teele Sq. extending 162ft south); Rogers Ave (west side, 27ft south of Broadway extending 20ft and east side, 20ft south of Boston Ave extending 80ft); and Webster Ave (Prospect St to Cambridge City Line).
"We want to be as consistent as we can while still responding to local conditions and needs," Kotzuba said.
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