Long lines in wake of new parking rules

On January 6, 2010, in Uncategorized, by The News Staff

Residents
waited in line in front of the Traffic and Parking Department offices
on Holland St. on Monday, Jan. 4.~Photo by Tom Nash

By Tom Nash

As
citywide permit parking finally took hold on Jan. 4, even extended
hours at Somerville's Traffic and Parking Department office couldn't
keep lines from stretching out the door as residents filed last-minute
applications for permits.

The new regulations come in the wake
of a contentious debate that began in May, when the Traffic Commission
announced that the one-third of the city without permit parking would
be converted on Aug. 1. A task force convened by Mayor Joe Curtatone in
the wake of public outcry eventually suggested the transition be put on
hold until after the winter holidays.

Allison Kemon, who moved
to Somerville earlier this year, waited in the line Monday afternoon to
explain that she still did not have a letter from her employer
confirming that she was using a company car.

Asked why she had waited until the last minute, Kemon said she only recently learned of the new policy.

"I literally heard about it two weeks ago," Kemon said. "There was a notice on my car."

City
Communications Director Tom Champion countered that since May the city
has worked to keep residents informed with a variety of methods,
including a city-wide mailing, orange fliers meant to resemble tickets
and several rounds of CTY calls.

"I think we've got a pretty good track record of getting the word out on this," he said.

After
a steady increase in parking permit requests since the announcement of
the policy change, applications spiked in December, with 2,441 logged
by Dec. 21, up from 550 in November.

Champion said enforcement
got underway on Monday with few complications, although there was a
delay in ticket writing in "less than one percent" of the city while
the remaining "Permit Parking Only" signs were installed.

Champion
said the city's plan to increase meter hours in Davis Square and Magoun
Square until 10 p.m. is on hold until the Traffic and Parking
Department acquires electronic kiosks that would keep visitors from
rushing out to feed meters or fishing for quarters.

Additionally, a permit process for artists with studio space is Somerville is still being implemented.

Complete details, including a list of streets with non-permit parking allowed during the day, are available at www.somervillema.gov/spotlight.cfm?id=75.