Traffic Commission 04/14/26

AI-generated summary. Written by gemini-3-flash-preview from the transcript below, which is the record. It may be incomplete or wrong; it does not report votes. Every item links to the moment it began.

The Traffic Commission approved a residential handicap parking space and a parking variance for Main Street residents. The body also implemented parking restrictions on Washington Street and Governors Avenue to improve sightlines and protect public infrastructure.

0:00 77 Lawrence Street Handicap Parking Space — Approved a handicap parking space for a resident with significant mobility and medical needs after determining the existing driveway was too narrow for a motorized wheelchair ramp.
6:48 Tabled Handicap Parking Requests — Tabled requests for handicap parking signs at 219 Salem Street, 149 Middlesex Avenue, and 36 Fourth Avenue because the applicants were not present to answer questions about driveway access.
11:56 383 Main Street Parking Variance — Approved a variance allowing two vehicles from 383 Main Street to park in the G resident parking zone because the property faces a metered section of Main Street.
18:11 Washington Street and Dudley Street Sightlines — Approved extending the "No Parking" zones at the corners of Washington Street and Dudley Street to improve visibility and address safety concerns regarding accidents and speeding.
21:20 Governors Avenue Parking Restriction — Approved removing approximately 20 feet of parking on the east side of Governors Avenue to prevent exiting vehicles from driving over the landscaped median.
28:28 Contraflow Lane Project Updates — Commissioners discussed implementation delays for the Park Street contraflow lane due to poor pavement conditions and noted the Clippership lane is undergoing conservation review.

[SPEAKER_01]: dropped very low, dangerously low. Normally, everyone's 90 and above. Eduardo, unfortunately, at this point, lives between 75 and 80. With any activity, that goes down into the 60s. And he uses oxygen. He also uses a wheelchair. He, at this time, he's been at the McGlynn School, but unfortunately, he's doing homeschooling. He's Zooming in to his classroom. Shout out to McGlynn. They've been wonderful with him. He was actually just discharged from the hospital today. He had a cardiac cath yesterday, and he has another life-sustaining surgery coming up, but first we have to fly him to Philadelphia to get a lymphatic MRI. et cetera, et cetera. So I drive a Cadillac Escalade that is a very large car. He will be having a motorized wheelchair, which if you notice from that driveway, I really can't get it in and out from there. And we also have to, right now we're carrying him from the car into the house. So it would be much easier for me to be able to just park in the front and either carry him forward or piggyback him up the first flight of stairs and then the second flight of stairs versus from the driveway all the way to the front, et cetera. And when he is able to get his motorized wheelchair, it would be easier to just be able to pull it out and have the room in the back to be able to do that with the ramps.

[Director Alicia Hunt]: Thank you. Todd, can you tell us, is there space there that's enough space for a legal parking spot in front of her house?

[Todd Blake]: That's a good question. I was just measuring that. It looks like there's just enough. So it looks like there's about 30. If I look from above, it looks like about 39 feet from the driveway to the extended edge of the Lawrence Street. So if we do 20 feet, it leaves about 18 feet. And if they're tight to their own driveway, it's probably not an issue. So I think yes, there is enough room.

[Director Alicia Hunt]: So Ms. Landry, do people typically park in front of your house there and that's why you need a handicapped spot because to keep it free for yourself?

[SPEAKER_01]: Yes, as in a lot of places in Medford, they've just built across the street. There are one is a two family, two families side by side, and another one's a three family that have just sold. And they have a shared driveway with multiple cars. So often, times there's no parking on that street. And unfortunately we did put a fence, there's bushes in that picture there, there's a fence there now and the neighbor next door really gave us a difficult time in regards to where his property line ends and where his property line begins. actually paying an assessor to come out to go over it. We did put the fence up, but I'm probably, hopefully if it turns out that there's gonna be more space in the driveway, we're gonna have to take that fence out and redo it and be able to widen that driveway that's there now because it's a bit of a slither. That's the back of the house. If you go back to the picture of the driveway itself, it's really small.

Yeah, so there's a white fence on the right side where the bushes are. Those have all been taken out because there were a lot of rats and all kinds of animals in there. And so we pulled those out and put a fence in, but he wouldn't let us push it back to where we had originally thought the property line is. So it's, again, it's made that driveway much thinner. And I will admit driving the Escalade isn't the best choice I've made, but I need a lot of room with the wheelchair. Yeah.

[Director Alicia Hunt]: I mean, it seems pretty reasonable to me. Often if somebody has a driveway, And then we really need to understand why they're not using their own driveway for their parking needs. Like that's actually the biggest thing that we kind of look for in these handicapped things. And I think the other one is just, are there other handicapped spots on the street? And to make sure you understand that what we can put up is just a legal handicap spot. It is not reserved for you. If there are other people with handicapped placards and they want to park there, there's nothing the city can do about it.

[Director Alicia Hunt]: They just, they have to have, if you have, if there are people without handicap placards and they park there, the police will happily, or the parking division will happily ticket them. But if they have a handicap placard, then they have every right to park there. Okay.

[Tim McGivern]: And if that happens, come back because maybe there's room for two or another one somewhere else. Unless there are any issues, I move approval.

[Director Alicia Hunt]: We're waiting for Alva to take the roll call vote now. Alva, you're muted.

[MCM00001829_SPEAKER_09]: Okay, we're going to move on to new business. 2026-17. Andy Capside and Renato. I'll work on 219 Sandal Street, apartment number two. Don't see them in the audience, but.

[Todd Blake]: I don't know how accurate this picture is, but it looks like they have some illegal driveways going on here. which just sounds like it's probably a tenant, not the owner, but this situation's not good. I don't know if this is also the same properties.

[Director Alicia Hunt]: Interesting. There's no curb cut there. Is that what you're saying?

[Todd Blake]: Yeah, it looks like they just created their own hop to curb. This opening looks like it was for this driveway at some point.

[Director Alicia Hunt]: Oh. I do like to hear from the people as to why, and I didn't see anything, why they can't use the existing driveways. Do we want to table and wait and see if they join the meeting? I did say there are people on the meeting. If any of them are here for this, they should raise their hands.

[MCM00001829_SPEAKER_09]: Thank you. All right, we'll move on to 2026-18. Also a handicap Hardenstein fan for his father at 149 Middlesex Ave.

[Todd Blake]: Just like I said in the email, I wanted to note that this is a state road, so it's just a recommendation. I kind of was hoping it would be sort of like when the zoning departments, the regulatory authority, and the planning gives the recommendation. Although it's different, but similar.

[Director Alicia Hunt]: So have we determined who they would reach out to at the state for the actual handicap plaque spot?

[Todd Blake]: Yeah, I could get that accomplished. I just didn't want, I kind of was, you know, wanted to see if there were any of you had any issues before we kind of forward it to them. And then in some cases, maybe they'll ask if we can install it for them just because we're out there, but.

[MCM00001829_SPEAKER_09]: I don't see them in the audience either. If you are here for this topic, please raise your hand.

[Todd Blake]: I know he had asked me, the son, I think, had asked me for a link several times. I kept pointing him to the event calendar. Maybe if we move on, I'll try to contact him while you're doing other items.

[MCM00001829_SPEAKER_09]: All right, next one, 2026-19, also a handicap parking sign for Marie Grandoy of 36th Avenue Street. Marie, if you're in the audience, you can raise your hand or if you're here to represent Marie.

[Director Alicia Hunt]: If we're ever aware that somebody can't come, they could send this information to us in writing, explaining why they can't use an existing driveway. This one again, well, that's 40. 38 and 36, I will say there does not, oh, I can't, no, there does appear to be a driveway here, but we can't tell who's their two units. They put up a sign in front of their house, somebody did, saying no parking any time here on their fence.

[MCM00001829_SPEAKER_09]: This might be another one we're revisiting if she joins. I don't see her in here. Looks like there's only two other people here. Higgins, KE, and Caitlin. Higgins is here for the next one. Okay. We'll let her move on to that. Yeah, we can revisit that if they show up. but 2026-20, per parking variance for Kendall Higgins and Drew Gallant, 383 Main Street for Wareham Street.

[SPEAKER_02]: Yes, I live right there above the dry cleaners. We were hoping to get permission to park on Wareham Street because of the meters that are in front of our house. There is a little bit of non-metered parking on Main Street a little bit after Wareham Street. However, there's barely parking there. Specifically, we can park in the meters parking when we have work, but for snow emergencies, and I'm a teacher, so I'm home for the summer, so it's difficult to park at the meters.

[Director Alicia Hunt]: Wareham Street is in the green line region. I'm sorry that you have to repeat this for us every single month at Traffic Commission. Is this part of Main Street not part of the Green Line, because they're on that side of it?

[Todd Blake]: Yeah, we're in the G Zone. The only major street that was part of the system was one side of Medford Street. Main and George and Winthrop, the border streets, were not inclusive.

[Tim McGivern]: But Wareham Street is in the G zone, right? Wareham and Harvard, yes.

[Director Alicia Hunt]: Okay. And as I've been looking at this and hearing these variance requests, it makes me feel like these units that are on facing the main streets that are like, literally, if you drew a line down the middle of Main Street, they would be in the green zone, physic, they're physically in it. They're just not legally in it. Yeah, it feels to me like we should should have we if we were redoing it, we would include at least this side of Main Street in the green zone, and the other side of Main Street in my future wish I had zone.

Um, because it, it makes sense that when you live on a main street, you should be able to park on the side street near you.

[Tim McGivern]: So their variance, give them access to the entire G zone or just William street.

[Jim Silva]: I think the entire G yeah, we've issued it to other people. I think there's a variance in the list when the resident parking process, when they come in and get it, they'll see it. It's on way.

[Director Alicia Hunt]: And I feel like we've discussed this before. I get it. It makes sense to me.

[Tim McGivern]: Well, on any issues with congestion on Wareham Street, do we want to recommend another street? Or is it pretty free and clear usually?

[Jim Silva]: I think it allows her to park anywhere in the G zone. So if there's no parking on Wareham Street, she can park on the next street, Marion. Or she can park on Harvard. She can park on Yale. So we're not really causing congestion.

[Tim McGivern]: Okay. All right. And we don't need to recommend otherwise. All right. Second that then fine. Thanks, Jim.

[SPEAKER_02]: Is it yeah, I will point it out to vehicles to vehicles. We both live in the same unit.

[MCM00001829_SPEAKER_09]: Okay. Sounds good. And that. That motion is to move to that.

[MCM00001607_SPEAKER_07]: Sergeant Cabino? Yes. Okay, 4-0-1 absent. The motion is approved for two vehicles.

[MCM00001829_SPEAKER_09]: Thank you. Sarah, do you want to explain real quick to Kendall the process for her?

[Sarah McDermod]: Sure, yeah, I was just looking for her 1st names. I can go. I'm the parking director. So, both you and drew can come down anytime. I'm adding your names to the variance list. So, if you come to city hall, unfortunately, the 1st time you get a variance permit, you have to get it at city hall. If you renew for subsequent years, you'll be able to do that online. Just talk to any of the parking clerks say, I got a variance for where ham street, they'll look you guys up on the list and then they'll sell you a permit. It's 11 vehicle per person. And you guys are not allowed to get visitor permits with this variance, just permits for your own vehicles. That makes sense.

[MCM00001829_SPEAKER_09]: All right. These next two, Todd, are you, these are yours, correct?

[MCM00001829_SPEAKER_09]: OK. Just before we get to them, there's two people in the audience. I'm going to check in with them. I see an AJ or Caitlin, if you guys have any business here that you want to talk to the commission about, if you can unmute yourself, if not, if you're just observing, that's cool too. I just want to make sure we cover anything that you're here for.

[MCM00001829_SPEAKER_09]: Okay. Thank you. Yep. I'm just observing as well. Okay. Thank you. Okay, new business 2026-21. No parking north side of Washington Street from Dudley. Distance to be determined east. No parking north side of Washington Street. Distance to be determined west.

[Todd Blake]: Yeah, we've received complaints that it's difficult to exit Dudley onto Washington because it's hard for people to see and also potentially speeding on Washington Street. So we're, you know, there is a speed table on Washington Street and it's coordinated with the police, potential spot enforcement, but in terms of the sight lines, we could clean it up a little, going a little beyond the 20-foot rule. So on the southeast corner, 26 feet goes the first pole there. And then on the southwest corner, 30 feet from the projected edge line, I'm recommending. And then on Dudley itself on the west side, 26 feet. So then that would keep kind of Vehicles that come out of Dudley would kind of shade to the right as they're driving out to Washington. It will give them better sightline looking left. So that's what this is about. So it's, you know, as all of you know, it's 20 feet anyway, so it's only an extra 6 feet, 6 feet, and 10 feet. So hopefully it'll be minimal impact to parking, but improve sightlines.

It's like right here, it's kind of like that. And then over here, it's like that. And then over here, something like that. We can look at it from the driver's perspective. Yeah, so it's kind of keeping parked cars not be on that pole. On this side, it would be before this mailbox. And on this side, it would be like this car would be pushed further back just after the tree. That's it. Any questions on that one?

[MCM00001829_SPEAKER_09]: No, I think that makes sense. From our side, we do see a fair amount of accidents coming out of those hatcheries on Washington Street, so that would probably help that a lot. I motion to approve. I second that.

[MCM00001607_SPEAKER_07]: Satchel Covino? Yes. Four to nothing, one absent, motion is approved.

[MCM00001829_SPEAKER_09]: All right, 2026-22, no parking east side of Governor's Ave from Governor's Ave public lot driveway extending north 18 to 27 feet.

[Todd Blake]: If you're talking, Todd, we cannot hear you. Sorry, my bad. So this is Governors Ave lot. This is Governors Ave northbound, southbound, separated by a median. People are exiting the lot and hopping on the curb on the median. So we're trying to help prevent that. So this maneuver right here. coming out of here. So we're trying to, you know, restrict this one space closest to the lot entrance, uh, all the way to the silver pole here would be the, the high end of the range that I was saying. And then, you know, somewhere over here would be the lower end, the 18, this would be like 27, I think they said. Yeah. So that's kind of the range I was looking at, whether from this pole or from like, you know, the back tire of this car to take that one space.

I think we're hoping this will prevent any modification that's needed for this for the median.

[Director Alicia Hunt]: Yeah, I'm familiar with this problem that coming out of there, it can be hard to get around. You would think with such a wide driveway, you could get around. but it has been hard. I do know that parking is tight, like people really get parked up here. So I feel like we should take as little space as we need to make it safe and to keep people off the median.

[Todd Blake]: Okay. Yeah. Um, there's, I think there's a utility or two in this ground. So in terms of installing a pull, yeah, there's a, there's a pull box next to the, so we'd go on the other side of that to somewhere, maybe two panels up or two and a half panels up might be the sweet spot. We're trying to just, not that it's a trafficking crime, we're trying to do the same thing down here with markings. I don't know if you've seen the temporary markings out there, but people hop on this curb right here as well.

So we're trying to guide them. There used to be markings apparently way back. So we're trying to guide people around this corner and this corner to avoid that curb as well. But that's already restricted on this side.

[Tim McGivern]: I'll only add that I know that we're trying to spruce up that island. And one of the things that was kind of hurting that effort is some of these tire marks and just the general, I guess, fatigue of the landscape on the backside of this curb. So this should go in the direction of solving the problem. So any new landscaping we put there, the spring will survive a little bit longer.

[Director Alicia Hunt]: I was just perusing it on the Google, what I sometimes think of as the Wayback Machine, and I find it fascinating to find these tire tracks in 2017. It's worn in 2014. 2012 and 2011 and 2007, it's just not so bad. Like, what has changed? Oh, that's so funny. It must have been just planted before the photo. There's like green grass in August 2011. Yeah.

[Tim McGivern]: You might just be watching the progress from new install to today. Could be.

[Todd Blake]: So what do we want to start with like 18, 20 feet and see how it goes?

[MCM00001829_SPEAKER_09]: You said that 20 minutes was possibly too long for all this, but I give you that each day.

[Todd Blake]: It's a long stretch of a block without driveway, so it's hard to estimate how many cars actually use that and if we took out 15, what impact it would have or not. So if you do 18 or 20, it's going to be one space, basically. I think when we re-striped the Governors Ave lot, Tim, didn't we gain a space or two?

[Director Alicia Hunt]: I was also looking at the end island, and I am horrified by just the decades of cars, vehicles. They look heavy, some of these driving over the end of that island.

[Tim McGivern]: Yeah, we might put a couple of handsome boulders down on that end, because there's already a boulder monument. The concern there is cars getting stuck in traffic, backing up on High Street. High Street's already pretty thin. So anyway, we're trying to clear up the parking here should help with that risk.

[Director Alicia Hunt]: I assume you're aware that we have a lot of gorgeous boulders in Carr Park still in the woods and stuff that You can see very clearly right now, if you need some material, please don't go buy anything.

[Tim McGivern]: Oh, we wouldn't buy anything. No. I think Aggie had a couple in mind.

[Tim McGivern]: So anyways, I'm not going to motion on this, but I'll vote on it.

[MCM00001829_SPEAKER_09]: Okay, I don't see any additional members of the audience. So we can. table these handicap signs we didn't get to today and reach back out to the people who are petitioning for them and try to get them to come to a different meeting. But for today, I'll make a motion to adjourn the meeting.

[Director Alicia Hunt]: Can I actually ask, I've been meaning to ask Todd this, but we had approved a contraflow lane on Park Street like quite a long time ago. And I happened to notice recently that it wasn't there yet. And I'm wondering if there's a problem or it's just hasn't gotten.

[Todd Blake]: No, it's been on my mind as well. So one of the issues is the condition of the paved road there is pretty bad. So I think Tim preferred that we had like a plan to pave that and then paint it versus paint the horrible condition. But yeah, we're still kind of trying to figure that out. What I mentioned to engineering today about what resources we may have to help pay the at least pay of the bike lane portion of the street.

[Todd Blake]: Yeah, that's the southern block, that's the control pieces in the middle two blocks, kind of.

[Tim McGivern]: Oh, that's right. I know what you're talking about. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Todd Blake]: Yeah, but I noticed there's an Engrid trench there, so I was mentioning it to Owen, maybe they owe us a research, you know, at least. not a full cryptocurve, but trench.

[Tim McGivern]: I think this one is when we put new paint down, we will put the new paint scheme down. I don't think we're going to paint it until it's paved.

[Todd Blake]: Yeah, like Tim was saying, and to go along with that is like, because it's contour flow against cars coming in the wrong direction, we prefer to have it like kind of the South Street model with flex posts too. And with the pavement the way it is, it's not good to screw the flex posts in now. Waste of money. But it is on our radar. That and the clipper ship, you know, that's already approved as well. We're hoping to do that one this summer.

[Director Alicia Hunt]: I did see the clipper ship was on the Conservation Commission agenda.

[Todd Blake]: Correct, yeah. So we have four approved construction lanes, two are in place, South Street and Mystic River Road, but clipper ship and park to follow, yep. Too many meetings tomorrow night.

[Director Alicia Hunt]: Yeah, I have a development board tomorrow night. But people who care about the contraflow lane on Clippership that's going to the Conservation Commission tomorrow wouldn't hurt. So great. Thank you. Thank you for the update. I just because we'd approved it here, I felt it was really relevant to hear about here.

[MCM00001607_SPEAKER_07]: Okay. 4-0. Motion to adjourn 5.40 PM. Nice to see everybody. Good to see you.