Somerville to Change Snow Emergency Parking Policy

[pearlythebunny.livejournal.com]

From the City's website:
Alternating odd- and even-side parking takes effect for winter 2015, with switch to even-side parking beginning during 2016-17 season.

So nothing is different this winter, but next winter people will park during snow emergencies on the even side of the street.

See more at: http://www.somervillema.gov/news/somerville-change-snow-emergency-parking-policy#sthash.B3IUPVgi.dpuf

Comments

[nomacmac.livejournal.com]

I wish they would change it so that on one way streets, you park on the side that puts the driver's door on the street. On the street I often park on, cars park on the side that has the driver door next to the curb. Last winter, people had to park 2 feet away from the snowbank covered curb because you couldn't get out of the car otherwise. It made a narrow street even more narrow.

[rose_garden.livejournal.com]

This only works if every car contains only one person.

[nomacmac.livejournal.com]

Not true. A driver can let passengers out in a snow-free spot and then park the car. Backseat passengers can get out from either side.

[justphoenix.livejournal.com]

Stupid question: if the even side of the street is normally no parking, will that be available during snow emergencies?

[nomacmac.livejournal.com]

The way it is now, if parking is only on one side of the street, it stays the same way, regardless of even/odd. I assume it will stay that way with the new rules.

[mem-winterhill.livejournal.com]

I am doing the Snoopy dance. Thank you!

[prunesnprisms.livejournal.com]

good to know!

[http://users.livejournal.com/_meej_/]

Does this mean we'll only get to listen to Cosmocatalano's techno remix every other year, now? :-)
http://blog.cosmocatalano.com/probably-my-most-productive-three-hours-of-2009/

[lizforalderman.livejournal.com]

Great news! I've met several people over the course of my campaign who considered this issue one of their biggest problems with the city. Happy for them that it is now resolved favorably.

And congratulations to my opponent, who during the Livejournal candidate forum named this parking policy as his top policy priority. Guess his work here is done! ;)

Elizabeth

[jbsegal.livejournal.com]

I wish they were rolling it out _this_ year, but hey, it's a generally positive change.

[macthud]

Uh, they *are* rolling it out this year.

This winter starts in an ODD year, so you park on the ODD side.

Doesn't matter that this is the same side you parked on last year...

[jbsegal.livejournal.com]

Simultaneously I say:
A) Fair enough
B) Tying it to the start of the winter, and not to the actual current year, will cause issues
and
C) Doesn't matter TO YOU. :P

[macthud]

B) Any issues caused by tying the parking side to the start of winter are well understood thanks to all those other communities who've been conducting live experiments for years or decades. I know of no community using such odd/even side rules that changes side with the New Year, as this could require instantaneous city-wide snow berm removal. Mostly, if you follow the lead of the other people who've parked nearby, you'll find you're on the correct side.

C) I visit Somerville often enough that getting it right does matter to me.

[craigindaville.livejournal.com]

RE: B

That was my thought, exactly. Heck, even *I* was confused at first. Because, frankly, most of our winter storms come after the new year, not before. So most of the snow in the "winter of 2015" will actually come in 2016. Which I also predict will lead to confusion and angry posts. Could you even imagine what "SpeakOut" would be like next winter if the Journal was still running it?