snow-emergency parking nitpick?

[lyonesse.livejournal.com]

a cop just drove down the street with a loudspeaker saying to move cars off the even side of the street lest they be towed.

i had thought (and many years of watching the towing patterns seemed to bear this out) that even-side-only parking was only true for streets where odd-side parking was actually available.

anyone have an authoritative reference for this?

Comments

[ron_newman]

I don't know the answer to this, but I posted your question as a comment on the city's official Facebook announcement of the snow emergency, and hope they'll answer it there.

[pywaket.livejournal.com]

As I posted in your journal, I saw someone getting a ticket for *something* on the even side of Kidder.

The city website doesn't say anything about a policy change, but it wouldn't surprise me one bit to find out they'd changed the rules without making it well known. More money for Joe and his cronies @ Pat's...

[ron_newman]

The city posted this answer:

"If a street is even-parking only, residents should continue to park on the even side unless otherwise posted."

[lyonesse.livejournal.com]

thank you for the followup. you might want to mention pywaket's observation to them as well, since it appears that the folks in police cars are unaware of that point.

[ron_newman]

Done, but after this point I'm going to step out of the conversation and suggest that you two continue it on the Facebook thread if you wish.

[lyonesse.livejournal.com]

thanks again.

[ron_newman]

one more reply from the city, on the Facebook thread: "The general policy is that cars need to move to the odd-side of the street, but on streets with only even-side parking cars can stay on that side (unless another policy is posted on parking signs). If someone on one of those streets gets a ticket, they can appeal it. Tickets can also be issued for other violations, like parking too close to an intersection or fire hydrant."

[ron_newman]

and one final reply there:

"Hi Ron, Just spoke to the interim Director of Traffic and Parking. All cars on Kidder Ave., which is normally an even-side-only street, should park only on the even side during a snow emergency. If anyone received a ticket for parking on the odd side of Kidder, they should call the T&P Director, Suzanne Rinfret, directly on Monday and she will make sure it is dismissed. Call the City's main number and ask to be transferred 617-625-6600. As for other even-side-only streets. During an emergency, you still park on the even side unless otherwise posted."

[ethanfield.livejournal.com]

It's not universally true in the city that even-side-only parkers get to stay. I used to live near Line Street, which is even side only, and during snow emergencies, you can't park on either side. Only way to be sure is to check the posted signs. But if you're on an even-only street, and there are no snow emergency signs, you're probably safe.

[lyonesse.livejournal.com]

*nods* it makes sense that signs in situ would be the best reference. the signs on the street where i heard the cop don't mention snow emergencies, just street sweeping.

[ron_newman]

That's a very strange street, as it is the actual Line between Somerville and Cambridge. People who live on it can get resident parking permits from both cities, but one of the permits will say "Line Street Only" on it. I don't remember if the city line runs down the middle of the street, or along one of the curbs or sidewalks.

[ron_newman]

The most recent version of the traffic and parking regulations that I've been able to find are at http://www.parksomerville.com/pdfs/TrafficRegulations.pdf . The relevant section is 10-10 (page 44) and it appears to support your claim that it's OK to park on the even side during a snow emergency if parking is always prohibited on the odd side.

[boblothrope.livejournal.com]

What's the granularity? For example, Park Street normally has parking on both sides south of the railroad tracks, but only on the even side north of the tracks. http://goo.gl/maps/m2nQC (Permit-only even though it's mostly industrial, and very lightly used since the permit regulations went up in 2010, but that's a separate rant.)

Does that mean even-side parking is allowed on those blocks during a snow emergency?

[ron_newman]

the latest copy of the regulations that I can find, page 44, say that you can stay on the even side if parking is always prohibited on the odd side "for a minimum of a full block".