Street parking, parking garages, and the joys of driving in Davis Square

[flixchick1986.livejournal.com]

Hello everyone!

I'm considering moving to Davis Square this summer. Everything's perfect about the apartment (and Davis Square in general seems awesome), but the single reason I'm hesitant is because of the parking situation. I currently live in Central Square, and I pay $150 a month for a reserved parking space. But the new apartment only has street parking available, and I can't give up my car because I need to drive to work every day.

So my questions are:
1. Are there any parking lots/garages you know of that I could rent a space for around what I'm paying now? Location doesn't matter too much, since I'd probably mainly use the space when it snows and when I'm on vacation, and I'm willing to walk.

2. For those of you that park on the street, what do you do with your car when you go on vacation? Or even just a long weekend?

3. What's the street cleaning schedule like? Is there cleaning in the winter?

Thanks!

Comments

[flixchick1986.livejournal.com]

Oh twice a month isn't so bad. I'm more worried about getting towed over vacation and thinking someone stole my car than getting a ticket.

[unferth.livejournal.com]

Street cleaning frequency must vary by location. My street gets swept four times a month (every first and third tuesday, every second and fourth wednesday).

[geekpixie.livejournal.com]

It's the same for all locations, it's just that if you park on a certain side of the street, you only have to worry about it 2x per month.

I found that in driving to work I negated all worry of the magical cleaning ticket fairies. As for vacationing, I have been ticketed for the 48 hours parked in one place, and it was not during the winter, and I was on vacation, so having someone borrow the car, or parking in a park and ride parking lot at the airport would be advised.

[flixchick1986.livejournal.com]

Is street cleaning late enough in the morning for you to avoid it by driving to work? Or do you leave for work really early?

[geekpixie.livejournal.com]

I usually left by 8am, not sure if that's early or not ;)

[unferth.livejournal.com]

In theory it's ticketable between 8 and 12.

As for the winter schedule, they don't do street cleaning in January, February or March. Sometimes they'll stop in December too, if there's big snowstorm.

[solarpanda.livejournal.com]

If you live on a bigger street, street cleaning could be 4x a month (yes, once a week, ugh) from midnight-6am, but most backstreets are 2x a month (per side) 8am-12pm.

Depending on your work schedule/work location, I'd recommend leaving before 8 anyway to beat the local traffic.