Way back in 2015 during the winter from hell when over 100 inches of snow fell and parking and driving was a living nightmare, the City of Boston came up with the genius move of reconfiguring the two-way streets into one-ways.
It was so simple yet so perfect. All the numbered streets would go either east or west depending on the number. No more stress turning onto a street to find yourself head to head with another car in a Southie standoff as to who was going to back up. The numbered streets are now easy streets.
Now after the first snow storm of 2022 we are back to square one. With just shy of two foot of snow on the ground, navigating South Boston streets are virtually impossible. We say bring back the one-ways.
We realize there was a small vocal group of anti-one-way residents that showed up at the community meeting to keep the one-ways back in 2015. To say this meeting was heated would be an understatement. You can read about it here.
But when discussing the current driving situation in the neighborhood, more and more residents seem to want the one-ways back.
Back in 2015, it dawned on us driving the newly deemed one-ways, “What if these streets were made one-way forever?” To be honest, when the streets are two-way, it’s not like you can cruise down them comfortably without a care in the world. They are pretty tight and you if you add to the mix a double-parked car – or worse people double-parking like jerks on both sides of the street – they are tough to navigate. So why not make them one-way? If we make the streets one-way, maybe we change the parking from parallel to angled parking in some areas? That would double if not triple parking on blocks where applicable.
So we say, bring them back. What do you think?
I’d be in favor if we used the extra space for bike Lanes on the streets so people didn’t feel the need to speed down them. One way streets tend to have people increase their speed unnecessarily. You could have the numbered streets with bike lanes (bike Lanes would be one-way as well) and leave Broadway the way it is.
Bring the one ways back…..permanently
Back in the day “G”, “H”, “l” “k” STREETS and all the way up the point WERE 2 WAY!!..THe majority of people are IN FAVOR of ALL streets ONE WAY..beleive it or not it would SLOW DOWN “southie ” being used as a cut through, make driving down the streets SAFER ..the people of southie should NOT be controlled by a SMALL group on neantherals..who FIGHT EVERY CHANGE!!
I’d say bring back the one ways, unfortunately some people can’t read. People come down Emerson St the wrong way all the time.
This is about as smart and short sighted as giant umbrellas over Southie for shade. Stop. It was proved to be a stupid idea .
How has this been proven to be a stupid idea? Honestly curious here, I’ve never heard a legitimate argument that opposes the one way streets.
I say “Bring back the one ways!”
Definitely in favor of the one way streets and angle parking. The streets where the buses run two ways if made one we’ll pick up a t least 100 parking spots where bus stops used to be.
J
So your not posting comments not in agreement I see. That’s not very professional and it’s borderline fraud to misrepresent the community’s position on an issue by omitting opposing views
You are the only comment that has been in disagreement. We post all comments. Not sure what you’re talking about. We take pride in our professionalism. I have to manually post the comments – so sometimes it takes a little bit. Usually within a day.
I’m all for the one way streets being brought back. I live on West Fourth between F and Dorchester. If the development of Family Dollar/adjacent buildings on West Broadway with parking via Silver Street goes through, West Fourth should become one way going west. If not we’ll have everyone trying to go down Silver Street to the parking facility coming up West Fourth in order to avoid Broadway. We’re experiencing a baby boom on my block and don’t need all the two-way traffic. People rarely respect the 25 mph ordinance; maybe a one-way street would alleviate some of the mess.
Can we do one way streets only during NON_street cleaning months. Once street cleaning starts, then we go back to 2-way streets. This way it’s only done during the winter season and for a limited time.
Great idea Scott..
I honesty believe, if given a chance, ONE WAY year round would be advantageous to ALL IN THE LONG RUN!! Also 24/7 RESIDENT PARKING would be good for the neighborhood..BACK BAY, BEACON HILL,SOUTH END, NORTH END, CERTAIN SECTIONS OF “SOUTHIE” (down off ” A” St near BARLOWS) have 24/7 ant the areas are THRIVING..
Here’s another vote in favor of one-ways all the time. There’s not enough space for two-way traffic if it snows more than about 6 inches. There’s barely enough room for two-way traffic on sunny days in July. I’m afraid nothing will change until there’s a tragic fire or something similar and emergency vehicles can’t navigate the streets.
Changing the traffic patterns every winter (from two-way to one-way) isn’t a great option. I’m guessing the City doesn’t have the resources (or inclination) to put up and take down the signs twice a year. It has to be all or nothing IMO.
Either way I don’t know if any differences will genuinely be felt. There are pros and cons to both scenarios. How about publicly slamming the MBTA more? The T is the serving its riders worse now, than ever in its existence.
“We realize there was a small vocal group of anti-one-way residents that showed up at the community meeting to keep the one-ways back in 2015.”
Umm, can we at least be intellectually honest when advocating a point-of-view? The “small vocal group of anti-one-way residents” outnumbered those who wanted to keep the one-ways significantly, so much so that the City decided that same night – announcing to all attendees – that we could have our two-way streets back!
My guess: Same thing would happen again if it came to it. One-ways after nor’easters? Fine. One-ways at other times? No thank you.
I agree with the one way idea…..I have lived here my entire life and have not seen the cutting thru coming from downtown in the evening and up L st in the morning like this ever…my street (its a 2 way) they come speeding up – from 1st street – barely stop @ Bway may explain the accidents on the corner – then shoot across to the other side and then go along the beach……all this with a school on the corner mind you….and forget about L street its bumper to bumper in the morning and at night and what intersections – ? they just all stop in them…..I’ve seen people in scooters and walkers going to the complex @ L street literally have to go between cars poke their heads out a little bit and hope they don’t get hit by someone on the other side speeding up L st becasue heaven forbid they wait at the light…..so I would totally be in favor of them using one ways again like they did back in the day and maybe even making some of the cut thru streets for certain times not being able to use it for an cut thru road…stay on the expressway where they belong….3rd st off of L for example – we use to not be able to turn down there certain times I forget if it was in the morning or evening or both……granted none of us own the streets but neither do the places that these road rules are allowed in other cities and towns and they most likely work better than our rules do…..
Ticket cars that shovel them out. At least 200 dollars. If everyone cleaned cars we would be alright
That don’t shovel sorry
Have any of our elected officials chimed in here, or have they forgotten us now that they’ve been elected?
We went through this before .
It was not a small amount of vocal residents against one way streets
All you green people forget how much more driving has to be done with all one way streets and every neighborhood has different traffic patterns due to present one way street and streets that are blocked off like 4 th st at K and 5th , 6th, 7 th at G st and those blocked off from M st park
There are several other reasons like faster speeds on streets and angle parking has been looked at and would not add any spaces and less safe
Those who like one ways streets usually do because it makes their trip home easier and do not think about the effect on others and the community as a whole
Also if space savers are removed after 48 hours then cars that have not been cleaned off or shoveled out should be towed because after 48 hours if not moved they are consider abandoned
I think we should turn all the street in to bike lanes.
Make all streets one way just during the winter. When street cleaning ends, one-way streets begin. Then when street cleaning starts, we go back to two-way streets. taht way we all know this is only a winter deal and the timing is already pre-set. why is this so hard?
I am against the one ways. When we did it before, just for the storm, there were arguments and meetings to either keep them or go back. Many ppl complained they had to drive 8 blocks instead of 2-3 to get where they were going, and I agree with them. I felt the same way. I see many ppl going down one-ways the wrong way. I see it on Emerson by the PO going toward I St, I see it on “O” St all the time. And to George who says all streets should be bike lanes, obviously, you don’t own a car, so I say step out of this comment section.
TEMPORARY one ways were fine in 2015, because people lost their minds and decided the Mexican standoff was the best course of action. After the snow was long gone, mayor Walsh capriciously extended the one ways because police and fire departments liked it. The one ways were a bane for anybody looking for parking. The one ways made the law abiding denizens of South Boston, choose between a parking space or obeying the law, Hobson’s choice for sure. With no snow on the ground it was maddening. I was at that meeting and the subsequent meetings, it was not”small vocal group of anti-one-way residents ” it was the majority of the neighborhood people. If you want frustration and more division, make the one ways permanent.