to parking bans
South Boston elected officials have had it up to here with parking bans along Day Boulevard. After 120 cars were ticketed and towed this past weekend (October 20th and 21st), Senator Jack Hart, Councilor Bill Linehan and Representative Nick Collins have voiced their concerns to the DCR (Department of Conservation and Recreation) about the inconvenience it has caused Southie residents. In a press release, Senator Hart stated ” “While we understand and appreciate the great causes of many of these road races, the severe impacts and discourtesy to our neighborhood residents are too much of a heavy burden to bear.” Rep. Nick Collins stated, “No more permits for races that require NO PARKING on Day Blvd.”
With parking in South Boston being such a stressful issue, local officials have sent the message that there should be no more permits for road races and events that require “no parking” on Day Boulevard.
Facts:
- May through October – 8 Road Closures and No Parking Bans on Day Boulevard
- 17 total permits issued for weekend events that affected the community of South Boston in one way or other- i.e. road closures and or no parking.
It’s nice to know our local pols have our backs when it comes to the nightmare that is parking in South Boston. We will keep you posted on any new information.
7 Comments
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Good for our Southie Pols and Thank you!! I’ve had enough of every group and organization in creation coming here to have their road races and expecting local people to grin and bear it and go about the task of searching high and low for a place to put their cars. We are residents here and we pay taxes so should be given respect and consideration and not be incovenienced in what seems to be constant disruptions. Let DCR put new requests for events in Cambridge, along the Esplanade, along Revere Beach, maybe in Hull, Hingham and Quincy. All of these places have DCR locations. Some of these events are foiur good causes and South Boston has been doing it’s part to host them for many years. But there comes a point where over saturation takes place. Again – Enough!!!
This has been long overdue. Not just the parking ban but not being able to go to the Island or by the lagoon on the week-end after a long week of working. There are other places that can be used for these walks/runs, such as UMass. Plenty of walking space there. How about Wollastan Beach?
As a resident AND frequent road racer I object to this ban. A friend spoke with a police office the morning of the race last weekend. A VANDAL took down the signs so residents/guests DID NOT KNOW there was a parking ban. Perhaps race officials could do a better job of no parking signage and/or make sure no one takes the signs down. Being able to race on a closed road is such a pleasure and sharing my neighborhood with ‘out-of-town’ racers is something I’m very proud of!
To frequent roadracer: You just arent getting it. It’s not that the signs were not there it’s that we’ve had enough of the inconvenience. No More road races where we, as people who reside here have to go without a place to park every damn weekend in our own town so you can have your precious road races. Go someplace else and disrupt other towns for a change. You have worn out your welcome with over saturation. Let me repeat – ENOUGH!!
Closed roads aren’t pleasant for residents who can’t get around the neighborhood they live in OR get a parking spot. The DCR has flashing signs along Day Boulevard with notices of road closures days in advance. So much for your signage issue. You may be proud (?) of sharing your neighborhood with your pals from Connecticut, but it is a MAJOR INCONVENIENCE!!
I can see both sides of the road race issue, and having people run through South Boston – and learn to appreciate the neighborhood – is not ALL bad. But ff frequency is a problem, then make a road race a very special and rarer occurence. I bet that the neighborhood can tolerate the inconvenience a couple times a year, but not constantly, as the last poster indicates. The irony for me in all this – that Southie pols are standing up for residents’ parking needs – is for me at least ,that for more than a decade condos and large buildings without parking and with inadequate parking have been built around my home near West Broadway, and at community meetings where neighbors expressed concerns about parking units, Southie pols practically stood there holding hands with the developers who are really on the verge of runinng the neighborhood for everyone – including the newcomers who can’t find spots to park their expensive cars either. So while the effort is apprecaited, where are our pols when it’s time to stand to stand up to their bedfellows, oh sorry, the developers??
To frequent roadracer: Are the cars that are parked along Day Boulevard really going to interfere with the road race? Why can’t a compromise be reached where the road races are allowed to continue and the cars that are parked along Day have to remain in place until the race is over? This will allow the races to continue and the towing and ticketing to stop, seems like a logical solution to me.