Town Council balks at changes to Lincoln Street lot

Published in the September 12, 2019 edition.

By MARK SARDELLA

WAKEFIELD — A Traffic Advisory Committee recommendation to make the public parking lot at Smith Street entirely four-hour and merchant parking was tabled by the Town Council at their meeting this week.

Police Lt. Joseph Anderson, the new Traffic Advisory Committee chairman, said that the TAC has received complaints from business owners and residents asking for a more centralized, longer-term parking solution for customers and employees.

Most merchants and employees have been compliant with the new designated long-term merchant parking areas on the outskirts of the downtown area, Police Chief Steven Skory said. But a few have been resistant to walking the few blocks between the merchant parking areas and their businesses. The TAC saw changing the Smith Street parking lot to merchant/long-term parking as a possible answer to those complaints. (The Smith Street lot is currently two-hour parking.)

But Town Councilors were leery of giving up the approximately 30 public spaces in the lot to merchant and long-term parking. Town Councilor Ann Santos observed that many people don’t have the luxury of being able to park right in front of their workplace all day long. She said that she might be open to changing the lot to four-hour parking, but not to merchant parking.

Town Council Chairman Edward Dombroski said that he opposed changing the Smith Street parking lot time limits or making it merchant parking. He noted that the town has already extended parking time limits in the downtown from one hour to two hours and has created new long-term parking areas for merchants and customers.

There was a compromise suggestion to make half of the Smith Street lot merchant/four-hour parking. But in the end, the Town Council tabled the recommendation pending further consideration.

The Town Council approved a number of other Traffic Advisory Committee recommendations when they met this week on the Common. Lt. Anderson presented the TAC recommendations.

Two of the recommendations involved Herbert Street. Anderson said that there had been a request from a group of Herbert Street residents for two “No Parking Here to Corner” signs at the intersection of Bennett Street due to visibility issues, a tough incline and a narrow roadway. The Town Council approved the TAC recommendation for two “No Parking Here to Corner” signs be posted on both sides of Herbert Street.

There was also a request from a group of residents for new street signs to reflect that Herbert Street is a split street. Anderson said that this request is similar to others that have been approved in the past to assist emergency responders and delivery drivers in finding the correct address. The TAC recommended the signs to read “Herbert St. #15-27” on one section and “Herbert St. #39-42” on the other section of the way. The Town Council approved the recommendation.

A request was received for “No Parking Here to Corner” signs on Grafton Street at the Main Street intersection. The TAC recommended that signs be installed on both sides of Grafton Street 20 feet from the intersection of Main Street. The Town Council approved the recommendation.

The Town Council also approved several TAC recommendations to improve parking in town. Based on their discussions and public participation, the TAC recommended that “Four-Hour and Merchant Parking” spots be added or existing spaces changed for the following streets and areas:

On Richardson Avenue on the left side of the street if coming from North Ave. starting 10 feet east of the fire hydrant located near the eastern most corner of the gas station driveway to just before the first driveway of 41 Richardson Ave., with appropriate signage. This will allocate approximately six parking spots. Main Street (Greenwood) heading southbound near 893 Main St. (Batten Bros). Change the existing spots starting at the first marked parking spot just south of Forest Street and continuing southbound past Batten Bros. for a total of nine nine parking spots. A sign will be posted “Four-Hour and Merchant Parking” starting at the first spot with an arrow pointing south, a second sign should be posted south of the Batten Bros. driveway and a third sign at the end of the ninth spot with an arrow pointing north. Old signs will be removed to reflect the change.Main Street (Greenwood) on the east side of Main Street. Starting north of 862 Main St. heading northbound and ending in the area of 780 Main St. Change all existing signs that currently read “No Parking 7 a.m.-11 a.m.” to “Four-Hour and Merchant Parking.” The current “No Parking 7 a.m.-11 a.m.” sign next to the bus stop will be removed.Oak Street on the north side of the street coming from Main Street heading east add “Four-Hour and Merchant Parking” on the north side of the street starting after the first church walkway and ending at the existing “Two-Hour Parking” sign near 8 Oak St. The existing “Two-hour Parking” sign should be replaced to reflect the change with an arrow pointing west. The current “No Parking” sign near the first church walkway should be replaced to reflect the change with an arrow pointing east.