Empty Parking Lot on Broadway

[balsamicdragon.livejournal.com]

Hey there! My sister is visiting us for Thanksgiving,... in her 73 foot long tractor trailer! I am trying to find a place for her to park her truck. Does anyone have contact info for the folks that own the old Shaw's lot? Alternately, does anyone know of a good place to park a tractor trailer that is on the T or a bus line?

Thank you!!!

[Edit]

Thanks to everyone for their helpful suggestions! I think we have not only a plan, but a reasonable back-up plan in case that falls through :) Thanks again!

Comments

[ron_newman]

Someone who claims to represent the owner of that property introduced himself here as Robert Allen, Esq. at 617-383-6000.

Also, Rite Aid shares that parking lot. Perhaps their manager could help you?

[balsamicdragon.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I've left him a message.

[qwrrty.livejournal.com]

I wish I could offer useful suggestions, but I really just wanted to thank you for the best parking question ever on DSLJ. I hope you find a place for your sister to park her truck.

[balsamicdragon.livejournal.com]

It has the advantage of never having been asked before :)

[enhf94.livejournal.com]

this.

[marphod.livejournal.com]

My driveway MIGHT be long enough. I'll grab a tape measure and find out later today. OTOH, it would involve getting into a residential driveway that is in no way designed for it.

Is she looking for someplace to park her trailer and just drive the cab around, or leave the entire thing? Do you know how long she'll be here? You might be able to get a temporary permit from the city.

[balsamicdragon.livejournal.com]

I think the problem will be turn radius more than anything, but yeah, a trailer of that weight is probably going to be bad for a residential driveway.... The city doesn't ticket on Thursday and Friday, but I still need a place that's big enough.

[marphod.livejournal.com]

Is it going to be loaded or not? if unloaded, the weight distribution might be fine. Or not.


The city isn't going to ticket for residential parking. I'm not sure if that applies to the no-commercial-vehicles midnight-6am restriction for on-street parking. (I know some on-street places in Medford that would work, if the Medford didn't have a 'no overnight parking for vehicles over one ton' policy.)

[boblothrope.livejournal.com]

Are you sure Friday is a resident parking (and meter?) holiday?

It's not a legal holiday, and there is trash pickup.

In NYC, the Friday after Thanksgiving is the busiest day of the year for meter maids, since many drivers incorrectly assume it's a meter holiday.

[balsamicdragon.livejournal.com]

That's what they told me in traffic and parking. They could be wrong tho...

[ceo]

Unless you live on a main drag, a 73-foot tractor trailer isn't getting into your driveway, and might not even make it down your street.

[marphod.livejournal.com]

It'll make it down the street. When I last moved here, it was 45-50 foot trailer on a big rig. Admittedly, they didn't try to park in my driveway.

[anu3bis.livejournal.com]

You rock.

[marphod.livejournal.com]

My driveway is 52' from sidewalk to fence. If the trailer is small enough to fit through the gate in the (mostly wrecked anyways, thanks neighbor for not taking down the tree before it fell...) fence, there's another 10' of asphalt. (All of these are +/- 6 inches)

[thetathx1138.livejournal.com]

OK, I've got to ask. Is she a professional trucker or something?

[balsamicdragon.livejournal.com]

Yep :)

[thetathx1138.livejournal.com]

Oh, thank God. If they were making 73-foot Winnebagos, I'd be moving to Canada.

Also, there have to be some resources for truckers to park and get to houses for the holidays. Might be worth looking up some local trucking agencies or support groups; they might have a program.

[ceo]

It might actually be worth talking to the Traffic and Parking office.

[balsamicdragon.livejournal.com]

I did that. They can't really help with that lot, since it is privately owned.

[ron_newman]

Did they suggest any kind of permit you could buy from them that would allow parking it on the street?

[hikermtnbiker.livejournal.com]

I often see many tractor trailers parked on Middlesex Ave, which runs behind the Assembly Square shopping center. I assume that the drivers may be staying at the La Quinta there. Many bus lines run through the area and Broadway is a short walk away.

[grateful1311.livejournal.com]

I was going to suggest the Assembly Square Mall also. I frequently see tractor trailers parked in the back of the lot there overnight.

[ron_newman]

Except ... this is a mall, and will be packed with shoppers on Friday. The parking lot owner may not want to give up spaces for this purpose.

[hikermtnbiker.livejournal.com]

I was referring to the street behind the mall, where La Quinta, the 99 and Dunkin' Donuts are located, not the mall lot proper.

The other alternative in that area might be the lot where the movie theater used to be. I think that a fitness club has moved in there but the lot is typically deserted.

I would think that there would be some kind of trucker "network" that would recommend places to park, stay and eat when in a city.

[ron_newman]

The cinema building is vacant. I think the fitness club is in the office building next door and uses the cinema's parking lot.

[nathanjw]

Assembly Square will fill up? Even on Black Friday, that seems like a stretch.

[koshmom.livejournal.com]

There's a lot less spaces now that they've started construction on the IKEA area. I've seen the lot be fairly full during the non-holiday days.

[frotz.livejournal.com]

I noticed recently that New Washington St. (off Washington, just east of the tracks, past the Cafe Belo) looked like it had signage allowing overnight parking of commercial vehicles, which I was surprised by as I didn't think Somerville ever allowed that on any public street at all. I'd check out the details before assuming anything past that, but it's a possibility. (It's also a really quiet and perhaps mildly sketchy area, fwiw.)

[ratushebarl.livejournal.com]

Dittoes on checking out this area.

[anu3bis.livejournal.com]

What about the Super Stop and Shop?

[808.livejournal.com]

My bro was a big rig truck driver for a bit. When he visited the closest place he could stay was a truck stop in Sturbridge. I'd go out and pick him up. It was nice as truck stops go. He said there was a place in Charlestown he stayed at once, but found getting there to be scary in a big rig due to the small streets. So he avoided it.

[balsamicdragon.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the info! Hopefully I can find somewhere closer, but we'll see...

[red-liner.livejournal.com]

There used to be a lot by the Mass Pike entrance in Allston where semis could be parked. You might try checking with the Turnpike Authority!

[leko.livejournal.com]

When a friend visited me driving a large box truck, we talked to the manager of the riteaid and they said there wouldn't be a problem with us leaving it there for the weekend. We had no problems or complaints.

[ron_newman]

which Rite Aid?

[leko.livejournal.com]

the one that shares the parking lot with that long empty star on broadway.

[koshmom.livejournal.com]

I think my driveway is long enough. It would definitely be long enough if she unhooked the cab. And it's not like we'll be around (that is until late Sat afternoon). She might have to ask my next door neighbors to move their vehicles if they're home so she can make the turn from road into driveway, but I can give them a heads up.

I'd say it would be best to back it up my street and into my driveway. She can walk the few blocks to pick up the 101 bus to your place.

It is closer than Sturbridge, and at least a fall back position should she not be able to park near you.

[koshmom.livejournal.com]

heh, if teh trailer is too long for the Rite Aid, but the cab is OK, she can park the trailer in my driveway and cruise to your place!

[sonofabish.livejournal.com]

Call VDA. They're on Perimeter Road off of Washington St. They have loading docks and a yard behind their building. They might be willing to let your sister park her rig back there for a couple of days.

[somervilleguy.livejournal.com]

I've seen rigs parked on New Washigton st. (next to the rail yard) overnight.

[marphod.livejournal.com]

Another idea; there's a trailer lot at route 30, route 128/I95 and I90 (accessible from 30, across from R Glenfield St, and from the on-ramp to 90 from 128 south or River Rd). I've no idea what the rules are for using that lot.

(Google maps puts it at River Rd & Interstate 90 & Interstate 95, Weston, MA 02493 or 42.342281 N, -71.265961W)

It might also be worth contacting a local school

[ron_newman]

What did you end up doing? (Someone in the future may have the same problem to solve and come here for an answer, so it would be helpful to learn what worked for you.)

[balsamicdragon.livejournal.com]

We parked the truck in the old supermarket lot on Broadway after speaking with the Rite Aid manager. He emphasized that he could not give us permission to park there, but he said he didn't have a problem with it. Truck was fine for the whole holiday weekend!

[ron_newman]

I'm glad that worked out. Some of the other people who park in that lot seem to be annoying people, though: Neighbors worried vacant Broadway property turning into a hiding place