The North End / Waterfront Neighborhood Council (NEWNC) is working with Boston Transportation Department to protect, and increase, the number of resident parking spots in the neighborhood. Recently, I joined a walkthrough with NEWNC’s Parking and Traffic Committee Chair, Ryan Kenny, BTD’s Joe Fluery and Nicole Leo from the Mayor’s office.
NEWNC is asking for a number of issues to be addressed:
1. Visitor Parking Signs: There are approximately 2-3 visitor spots on each street of the North End. With the exception of the “main streets” (Hanover, Commercial, Salem and Prince), NEWNC is looking to have BTD alter the current Visitor Parking signs to include a “Resident Exempt” decal on the current signs. It has been almost 2 years since NEWNC was told the current visitor parking signs would be modified. There is still no answer as to when these signs will be modified to reflect that residents are exempt, nor have we been told which streets will be included in the resident exemption.
2. Elimination of Resident Parking Spots: We were informed that Pizzeria Regina’s paid for the 3 commercial spots in front of the restaurant during the morning hours. It was stated that for $40 per foot (per year) a restaurant can get resident spots converted to commercial loading spots. The committee is concerned that this policy is a slippery slope, especially in the North End. It appears that the residents have no say in the conversion of these types of spots.
Other issues discussed during the walkthrough included:
a) Myriad of street post signs are confusing regarding parking rules. BTD is trying to standardize the signage as shown in some locations.
b) Excessive temporary parking restrictions often take up entire blocks with signage that is not removed.
c) Double yellow line on Hanover Street was recently repainted after it was noted missing during the walkthrough.
NEWNC’s Parking & Traffic Committee would also like to pass on the following information to residents regarding:
- Reserving Spots with a Cone: This is NOT permitted. The only exception is that a person can reserve a spot with a cone for a period of 48 hours after a snow storm. If you see a cone you can call the Mayor’s Hotline (617-635-4500) and they will come remove it or you can remove it yourself.
- Handicap Placard/Spot: If you suspect fraudulent activity regarding someone using a handicap placard in their car or you suspect that a spot designated for a handicap person is no longer relevant for a particular address, you can call the Mayor’s Hotline (617-635-4500), notify your elected officials or complete the Parking Abuse Complaint Form for Disability Placards and Handicap Plates: http://www.massrmv.com/rmv/forms/disabled.htm
BTD’s Commissioner Tinlin has been invited to appear at an upcoming NEWNC meeting to further discuss these issues and address any questions residents may have regarding parking in the North End.
More photos from the walkthrough:
I love how they are so quick to enforce the 2 hour visitor parking rule, yet cones hold spots for days in certain areas on the neighborhoods and nothing is done (Charter st) As residents, who pay taxes in this neighborhood we should be given more consideration then tourists who can take the T or pay to park in a garage, as I often have to do when there are no resident spots available.
Tourist seem to think that weekends don’t count for resident parking only so I think we need more ticketing on weekends. I agree the signage is confusing. As for handicap parking I completely respect the need for these spots but they are so abused; verification of these are needed. How about discount parking in the city for some of us who are willing to pay for overnight parking as it is too expensive for some of us now.
$40 a ft for commercial parking? Can I send $320 to City Hall to block off an 8ft spot in front of my condo. Only seems fair
Get a commercial vehicle license plate, run a “business” out of your home, and you’re on your way!
Please, the non-resident parking abuse in the North End is out of control. Walk down any street on a Saturday and you not only will see a ton of Mass plates w/o a resident sticker, but out of state plates also! I swear the cops in the North End could care less. Actually, I know they don’t care as I let one know about it last week as he sat in his car watching the parade. He looked at me as if I was crazy to think he would get out of his car and do anything about it. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, the North End cops (cop) are absolutely useless.
JC, did you really expect a cruiser-driving patrolman to get out and give a parking ticket for permit violations? The only way an actual police officer is giving a parking ticket is if it’s a fire lane being blocked or a towable offense. Anything less than that is beneath them…for the meter maids
As sad as it sounds, I didn’t expect it at all. Maybe if the offender got a chair through their window, he might have gotten off his lazy @$$. Maybe. People have gotten wise to the idea that ‘chancing it’ is your best bet on the weekends in the North End. It might be nice, on at least one occasion, to see these people at least get a ticket on a Sunday, or after 8pm. It’s not too much to ask.
I must agree with JC, on the weekends there are so many out of state cars parked on every street in resident parking only spots and they also park on the sidewalks and I truly believe they go for dinner and a nice long stroll around the North End and Waterfront and dont ever get ticketed, never mind towed!!!!
Yet, I park in a visitor spot and I get a $40 ticket with a resident sticker! Do you see a problem here??? I certainly do!!!!
All the bitching in the world isn’t going to change this because there are so many restaurants here in the North End and they all make tons of money, especially on the weekends…….
It actually makes me sad!
Good luck having any of the signs changed……..
I need to add that the Mayor’s 24-hour hotline has been useless for me, not one time that Ive called there has an issue of mine been resolved……
Maybe if we start with changes in that office, the North End would get changes too. Just saying!
I have no problem w/ Sunday being open parking for residents and non-residents alike. But Saturdays is supposed to be enforced like any other day…unless the sign reads otherwise.