Be on the look out for a make-shift parking island on East Fourth Street over the next few weeks.
After numerous cars have been towed from the area where Emerson St. and East Fourth St. merge (directly in front of Emerson Cleaners), the City of Boston will be conducting various tests of a parking island. The City of Boston made an appearance at at a recent City Point Neighborhood Association meeting last week to discuss proposed changes to parking in this area.
But concrete will not be laid just yet. A series of tests involving orange safety barrels and barriers will be placed in the area to ensure that a parking island is the best solution. This will allow residents to parallel park on one side and angle park on the other (side of Fourth closest to East Fifth). If residents agree that the new structure would alleviate the parking spot shortage, a permanent structure will be built.
There will be a net loss of one current parking spot but a gain or many more angled spots due to the fact that angle parking will now be legal.
Other concerns and issues of residents discussed:
- Will emergency vehicles be able to get through?
- Will plows hit the island?
- Would it be difficult even for regular cars to get through?
- Emerson Cleaners and Sidewalk Cafe would like to see 15 minute parking during the day so their customers can come in and out.
- Would like to see a stop sign at M and 4th.
- Would painting lines be an easier and more cost effective solution?
The ultimate decision will be made after the tests are conducted. We will keep you posted.
Now if they could only do the same on the area of Emerson and East Third in front of the post office. Read Peter Gailunas’ blog: https://caughtinsouthie.com/feature/whats
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Yes parking is difficult, but I have definitely been able to live with it. I could use the extra excercise after sitting at a desk all day.
Either way, I think it could work. The area by the Post Office, on, I believe East Third, does a similar thing. I dont think there are any concrete structures, but cars are randomly parked in the middle of a makeshift island. Though it is an eyesoar, especially becuase parkers don’t really consider how they are parking when they leave their cars, I think it would alleviate some people’s frustration. God knows, there are worse things in the world, but I like to see happy neighbors.
Yes parking is difficult, but I have definitely been able to live with it. I could use the extra excercise after sitting at a desk all day.
Either way, I think it could work. The area by the Post Office, on, I believe East Third, does a similar thing. I dont think there are any concrete structures, but cars are randomly parked in the middle of a makeshift island. Though it is an eyesoar, especially becuase parkers don’t really consider how they are parking when they leave their cars, I think it would alleviate some people’s frustration. God knows, there are worse things in the world, but I like to see happy neighbors.
This is great but honestly we need 2 things in Southie when it comes to parking.
One is 24/7 resident parking because Southie is becoming a bar scene and people from other parts of the city are driving in on Friday and Saturday nights making it impossible to find a spot in the area around the Tynan at least.
With new bars and restauarnts planned for the area it will only get worse; either people to take cabs or the T into Southie to party or the owners of these new establishments need to be responsible for creating additional parking for their customers (to discourage drunk driving the first is a better option I think).
The other thing is an audit of handicap spots because I am constantly amazed at how many disabled seniors are out after 11pm on the weekends.
People definitely come from other parts of the city and use the spots over the weekend, however, think of the implications that would happen if it was 24 hour resident only parking. We would loose all of that business and the awesome restaurants and shops that are making Southie the great place it is will go under. So we would be risking changing the dynamic of Southie as a whole
Also, maybe selfish, but I love that my family can come visit or my friends came come here for a night from out of town. There is a reason Southie is so attractive, and I fear that we would loose that by frustrated people who cannot find legal parking. The concept of having businesses responsible is a good, but I am not sure the feasability of that one.
Handicap issue= Agreed. Huge pet peeve of mine; common people. You are still young; are you that lazy?
Absolutely agree about the handicapped parking issue and need for an audit. I’ve got several fully able neighbors with guaranteed spots in front of thier homes. What’s worse, many of these people have two cars and jockey them around so their spot is always free when they come home – pisses me off. You have to wonder who they greased to get the spots in the first place. I’m surprised I never hear talk about building a parking garage somewhere in Southie. I know land for that is scarce, but would think some enterprising developer could figure something out – underground perhaps?
We have a family in our neighborhood that abuse their handicapped parking spot on a regular basis. There are 4 cars in this household and the cars are jockeyed around the handicapped spot daily so that at least 3 of their vehicles can have parking available to them no matter what time they go out and come back. They park the car with the placard half in and half out of the handicapped spot and park their others cars in such a way that they are almost taking up 2 spots …. not enough room for another car to squeeze in. When they return home, they move up the car taking up 2 spots and presto, they have a “reserved” space for their car. I can’t even find parking for my 1 car. The City really needs to clamp down on these people.
It seems that all our new neighbors from Connecticut,NY, and other out of State Cars think that it is their right to park their cars in the High School Yard at night as they don’t want to register their cars here in Massachusetts. Well if we have to they should too. If we come home at night from working or out for the evening and there is no place but the High School and they are almost taking up by out of town residents. So you drive around and around until you find one and then be up be 6:00 in the morning to get out of the school yard for the Teachers to start School. Another thing they do if they are going drinking they also park in their too. It seems the outsiders know where to Park. Is there anything that can be down for us Southie Residents to Park their,I hate to complain as we don’t want to loose the High Schools but it should be for residents who have the cars REGISTERD in MA and NOt out of State….