11 Comments

1. 

   Matt Stafford on August 1, 2016 at 4:31 pm

   This is handy to have, perhaps, but serves to show how very little parking the actually is. I live in Upper Falls. I love the food at Blue Ribbon, Cherry Tree, Cook, etc. But I always hesitate to make the drive because, at least at dinner time, I have to drive around for 15 minutes looking for a legal spot. I’m all about saving paradise, but sometimes one has to put up a parking lot.

2. 

   Ted Hess-Mahan on August 1, 2016 at 5:31 pm

   Thanks for the shout out Greg. Nancy Hyde, the City’s Economic Development Director, and city planner Rachel Blatt deserve the credit for putting the map together and updating it.

   Matt Stafford, I live only a half mile from Blue Ribbon BBQ, so unless I am on my way home from the office, I usually opt for the ten minute walk to get take out, which saves time looking for a parking space close by. But, having lived in West Newton for the past 20 years, I can assure you that there are almost always plenty of free parking spaces available within a 5 minute walk from the square along Chestnut, Highland, Washington, Waltham & Watertown streets as well as on some on the side streets. You just need to know where to look for them.

3. 

   Mark Marderosian on August 2, 2016 at 12:58 am

   A few months back, I used a map of West Newton (not this one) in an editorial cartoon to illustrate the lack of parking in this very area with captions. After looking at this map here, I am sorry to say my goofy schematic is a more accurate assessment.
   The blue arrows here give the illusion that there is more parking than really exists. Example: Near the top, Webster Street is highlighted in blue with an arrow. This is simply not true. There is only parking one side, the two lanes of cars squeeze by each other and the residents in those condos are always, ALWAYS parked in front of their homes as is their right. To the left is the continuation of Webster street and it shows parking. Here you MAY have a chance provided a. no one in those houses is home and b. It’s a slow day at the playground across the street since this is where those folks would park.
   The upper blue line on Waltham Street is baffling. That’s a curve where cars come speeding down. You would not want your car there and I’ve never seen a car there.
   Parking near the Court: Yes, it’s there provided you get lucky and don’t mind one-fingered salutes as you try to parallel park backwards against traffic going west from both Washington and Watertown Streets.
   There is no parking on Washington Street near the Dunkin Donuts. I will stand out there with anyone and give them $5 if they see a car find a space on Washington Street during the months of Sept- June.
   I’ll stop here with specific streets but I must mention two areas that are highlighted blue as available parking that just aren’t in any realm of reality:
   1. Davis Street. It is ALWAYS filled with cars. I tried taking my Granddaughter to the cafe behind the theater at least five times since February. I always drove down that street. Forget it. And as noted the police park in the upper part. The one time and only time I actually found a space and parked there -YAY!- my car was broken into and glovebox rummaged through.
   2. Elm Street. No…just no. I drive down this street every day and sometimes hope to do business at the bank. This July was the first time since last September, THE VERY FIRST TIME, I found a space either in the lot or on the street. That’s because of the summer when people are away obviously. Come September, there will be no parking spaces. Seriously, without exaggeration, especially at night when Paddy’s is in full gear from September to June there is N-E-V-E-R parking on Elm or around the corner. I end up driving in a circle once, going down Border Street and heading to the Village Bank in Auburndale.
   Additionally, the meter maids in that area, particularly Elm Street are so aggressive, past the point of common sense. Yeah, I get it, you pay or don’t pay and if you don’t pay, you get a ticket. I don’t have a problem with that. But when you do find a space during the summer, purchase a full hour of time because you’d like to go to Judith’s Kitchen and dine, stop by the Bank and when someone at the Bank coming out a side door has the nerve, the NERVE to want to stop and chat with you, thus putting you ONE whole minute over the time and you run to your car with your 1.5 year old Granddaughter in your arms and the meter maid looks at you racing towards her and still writes the ticket…well, time to go elsewhere.
   (My thanks to the cooler heads at City Hall for dismissing the ticket).
   The new office / apartment building on Elm Street can put parking spots next to it in the back but with the situation now at a miserable state, those spaces will be used and overflowed as soon as it is rented.
   And yes, I dig the benefits of walking. And I can and do during the summer months. But walking is not possible, especially with young kids during the winter months. And that’s when we come full circle to the fact that there is no parking.
   I’d suspect that this is an exercise by the pro-development Brigade to show that love, peace and parking are possible, but it’s getting late so I’ll leave the conspiracy theories for the morning and simply say that I’m at a loss to understand the purpose of this attempt at bending the laws of time and space.

4. 

   Marti Bowen on August 2, 2016 at 12:52 pm

   The PDF of the map and business list in West Newton include duplicates and the business list is turned the wrong way making it hard to read. I was also wondering how the included businesses were selected.

   I agree with everything said by both Matt and Mark. I try to find parking in West Newton Square several times a week. And Ted, I know all of the places to look and most likely Matt and Mark do too. Highland doesn’t allow parking on weekdays and is almost always full on weekends. The tiny area on Chestnut has 15 min parking on weekdays and is almost always taken after 5 pm and on weekends. Mark covered the other streets you mentioned. Once I parked on Davis, the only time the few spaces weren’t full.
   I generally take Chestnut to Davis, then go down Highland and turn right onto Washington and occasionally find a space. If they are full I have no choice but to circle back to cross Washington to look on the other streets. Sometimes I find one on Cherry Street or in the lot during the day. That can take at least 15 minutes.

   The topic of parking has become quite divisive in Newton, to the point where reasonable people who say they cannot find parking in certain places or who say parking is necessary for many people are met with disdain by many otherwise reasonable people.

   When people who express problems with finding parking are rebutted with statements like “I assure you that there are almost always plenty of free parking spaces available … You just need to know where to look for them.” followed by suggestions and examples of walking, their experiences are being dismissed instead of being included in the discussion. It blocks useful information with insinuations that either their experiences are not real or they are too lazy to walk.* It also keeps planning decisions biased and based only on using info that supports the desired outcome.
   *That is insulting to a high percentage of residents. I drop off my older and younger friends with little kids who cannot walk far before I look for parking.

5. 

   mgwa on August 2, 2016 at 2:12 pm

   Marti – thank you for saying this:

   When people who express problems with finding parking are rebutted with statements like “I assure you that there are almost always plenty of free parking spaces available … You just need to know where to look for them.” followed by suggestions and examples of walking, their experiences are being dismissed instead of being included in the discussion. It blocks useful information with insinuations that either their experiences are not real or they are too lazy to walk.

6. 

   Joanne on August 2, 2016 at 5:20 pm

   Thanks Marti and MGWA – My sentiments exactly. There is very limited parking in West Newton and with the addition of the Elm Street Retail/Housing – once they are all rented( although I would be concerned about opening a business on Elm Street because of the lack of parking ) there will be even less parking. I try to avoid West Newton at all costs because of the lack of good parking. When people that post that they can walk to the square are not considering that some are not able to walk far distances and need the ability to park.

7. 

   Ted Hess-Mahan on August 2, 2016 at 5:22 pm

   So, a couple of things. Well, more than a couple.

   I have lived on Watertown Street, a half mile from West Newton square, for 20 years now, and I drive through the square at least once each morning and each evening, and at various other times during the day. My house is a five minute walk from CVS on one side of the square and 9 minutes from Blue Ribbon on the other side. There is hardly ever anyone parked on either side of Watertown Street between Davis Avenue and my house during the day. All of these spaces are within a 5 minute walk of the square. Similarly, Chestnut, Highland, Waltham and Washington Street all have parking spaces on one side or the other or both that are likewise available during the day and are within a 5 minute walk. People may not want to walk that far, but the parking spaces are definitely there. So instead of orbiting the square for 15 minutes looking for a space close to your destination, I urge you to park within a 5 minute walk from the square and save 10 minutes of your time.

   The Police Department has restricted parking during the day on part of Davis Street to provide employee parking. The rest of the spaces are taken up mostly by commuters. I have petitioned the Traffic Council to restrict parking to 2 hours during the day to free up parking. I also petitioned to make the street one way so that we could increase the supply of parking spaces with diagonal parking. On both occasions, the residents on Davis Street were all against it because of the hardships they felt parking restrictions would impose on themselves and their visitors, so the Traffic Council, in deference to the residents, denied both of these petitions. This has led to some hard feelings, which I have tried to mend, but I will not be filing any more petitions with the Traffic Council unless the Davis Street residents ask me to.

   The Police Department and the Traffic Council recently converted the parking spaces in front of the Police Annex on Chestnut Street to 15 minute parking when the Parking Clerk moved there. For various reasons, the Parking Clerk recently moved back to City Hall, so I have petitioned the Traffic Council to convert those spaces back to 2 hour limits to accommodate business and customers who want to shop, eat or grab some coffee or a slice in the square. The Police Department has agreed that at least some of those spaces could revert back, although it would like to hold on to a couple of spaces for people who come to the Police Annex to buy parking permits.

   Last year, St. Bernard’s church closed their private parking lot to the public, after allowing commuters to park there for many years, because of the needs of the church and the Learning Prep Academy. Happily, the anticipated Carmageddon in West Newton did not happen, thanks to the transportation department and the church, which worked together to distribute notices, signs and maps informing commuters that the lot would be closed and directing them to the T lots.

   Nancy Hyde and I have walked separately and together through the square on several occasions to talk to business owners about their concerns. The parking map was based on a similar map that the city put together for Newton Corner, which showed local establishments where people who use the innovation center located at the former Newton Corner Library could go for coffee, lunch or to shop. Last holiday season, a number of business owners in West Newton approached me about the loss of long term parking spaces in front of the Police Annex and elsewhere in the square due to construction and other reasons. The holiday season is the “make or break” season for many local retail businesses, who must increasingly compete with online shopping to stay solvent, and they felt the loss of even a few spaces was hurting them. The owner of L’Aroma actually suggested the idea of a parking map, and when I asked Nancy Hyde to put something together for West Newton she and Rachel Blatt were able to turn it around in 48 hours and get copies to all of the business that we had contact information for. I also walked around the square and handed out maps to some of the other businesses that we did not have email addresses for and asked if they wanted to be included on the list. Nancy and Rachel have been revising and updating the map to make corrections and keep it as current as possible, but it requires constant attention as businesses move in and out of the square and parking restrictions change.

   When the Allen House hosted the Junior League’s designer showcase this past May and June, the city updated, printed and distributed maps to help visitors find parking throughout the square, including the T lot inside the Exit 16 off ramp, and also direct them to local stores and restaurants as well as other amenities. In addition, I asked the city to post signs directing drivers to the entrance to the T parking lot, which, unless you know where to look for it, is a little hard to find. This lot is generally half empty, but costs just $4 to park all day, and is within easy walking distance to the square as well as the public transit connections in West Newton. For several years, the city has been exploring the possibility of taking over control of the three T parking lots in West Newton with the Department of Transportation. My understanding is that DOT has a long term arrangement with LAZ to manage these parking lots, so that is not an option at this time, but could be in the future.

   Finally, if you don’t want to have to abruptly end that conversation, or rush to finish your dinner or favorite beverage because the parking enforcement officer is closing in on your car, please download Newton’s new parking app (at present the apps are only available for Android and iPhones). You will get an alert when time is running out on the meter, and you can easily and conveniently add time to the meter without having to fish for quarters.

   Folks, I am not being dismissive of your concerns about parking. I have spent many hours at Traffic Council petitioning for HP spaces and various parking restrictions on behalf of both residents and businesses, pick-up and drop-off areas at a popular dance studio in West Newton, pursuing both a petition and an appeal of the 15 minute parking spaces in front of the Police Annex on behalf of West Newton businesses, and trying to work on shared parking arrangements with various private lot owners in and around the square, with varying degrees of success. I am trying to bring the 411 to the denizens of Village 14you, and to the businesses and residents in and around the square, to help alleviate some of the congestion in the immediate area around the square, and providing people with a parking map is just one way of doing that.

   The city, in collaboration with the councilors from the ward, are holding a series of workshops to solicit ideas for improvements to West Newton Square. We have already held a workshop at Second Church and a “walkabout” at several locations in the square, where interested persons got a chance to ask questions and share their ideas for improvements in the square. In September, we will be holding another workshop at the First Unitarian Society in Newton, across from the Police Station. I strongly urge anyone who is interested to participate in the planning process.

   Parking in West Newton is a lot like the weather. People complain about it constantly, but no one ever does anything about it. Well I am trying to do something about it. If you want to do something about it too, come to the workshops, or contact the planning department with your ides, and become part of the solution instead of part of the problem.

8. 

   Chuck Tanowitz on August 2, 2016 at 6:27 pm

   I see an entirely different issue and solution. I know that often the answer to a lack of parking is more parking, but that’s only one solution.

   The sharing of this map grew out of a heated discussion on a local email group about the parking at CVS. People complained that the owner of the building tows aggressively if people go into the CVS (or one of the other businesses there) but then move on to shop elsewhere.

   The study I would like to see done focuses on the distances people travel to shop in West Newton. I’m an able-bodied person and try to walk or bike to W. Newton. It’s an easy trip from my house and helps me avoid any parking issues (another quibble: not enough places to lock a bike). Meaning, if we made the entire area more pedestrian friendly and encouraged more people to walk or bike from their homes, many of which are within a half-mile from the square, then more spaces would be available for those who need to drive.

   Of course, there are times that I drive to W. Newton, either because it’s on my way on a longer trip or I’m transporting someone else, but even then I don’t often run into the same parking issues listed above. Which means that I’d also be curious to know the peak times in which there is no parking in W. Newton. If we can create parking alternatives for those times (shorter meters in some places, opening of private lots in given times, etc.) then maybe we can solve the problem without simply adding more parking.

9. 

   Marti Bowen on August 2, 2016 at 8:16 pm

   Chuck, we could start with the times you easily find an available space.
   I live no more than 1/2 mile from Newtonville and generally walk into the square. I cannot walk or bike to West Newton, so regularly I drive to West Newton, almost always transporting someone. I like the shops, the eateries and the cinema. On weekends the Santaner bank allows parking in their lot which is nice additional parking.
   Mid morning to just before noon parking is generally available. Afternoons and evenings parking requires some searching, generally 10+ minutes.. Only once or twice did I give up entirely .

   I don’t use the CVS and never park there but know the stories about towing.

10. 

    Marti Bowen on August 4, 2016 at 9:42 am

    Ted, somehow I missed your comment before Chuck’s so didn’t read it until just now, after getting an email saying there was a new comment on this thread.

    I know that you spend long hours and work hard to keep making West Newton Square more accessible for everyone including traffic calming, pedestrian and ADA friendly as well as providing affordable housing. I believe everything in your comment to be your true experiences, most of which you repeat continuously. I understand that you are frustrated with those of us who you see as being part of the “problem” and not the solution. I’m sure there are some who fit that description, but lumping everyone who experiences things, including finding parking spaces, not living close enough to walk or being able to walk 15 minutes, differently than you into one pile as being “part of the problem” is not an effective way to pursuade those who are to “become part of the solution” or those who truly are not to continue to contribute to the conversation.

    I have also tried, and failed, to get you to see other ways you are dismissive of other opinions because of your tendency to lump those who disagree with you or your position into one pile as part of the problem. So I don’t see much hope in it working this time but here goes anyway.

    My experiences iterated in my first comment are also true as I think many others are. (The ones I know above generally contribute much to any topic.) I am not complaining but trying to add to the conversation and my experiences are being dismissed instead of being included, regardless of how you choose to phrase it. I cannot explain why our experiences are different and should not need to try. My word is as good as yours.

    I assure you that I am not “orbiting the square” unnecessarily or because I do not wish to park a 5 or 10 minute walk away. I just want to find a place to put my car. The restricted turns can add to the time it takes. The new parking app is great for many reasons, although the one at the corner of Highland and Washington by the shops was not working (either with coins or the app) a few weeks ago, which I dutifully reported.

    I have many friends and family members who do walk or bike all over Newton. (My teenage grandson, with my son, loves walking here now with historic churches and bridges being Pokemon gathering places.) I have many friends who cannot do either. As you know a large percentage of Newtonites are elderly, have young children or are either disabled or otherwise impaired. . There are some who fit both the walkers and those who cannot.

    I am able to comfortably walk a bit more than a half mile, but have more trouble doing it up a hill, although walking up the small inclines from the Cherry Street lot to Washington or from Washington up Chestnut or Highland are pretty easy for me but not for some of my friends. As I said above, I have no problem dropping them off and then finding a parking space unless I see one right away. Some I can drop off on Chestnut but some need to be right in front of where we are going. Doing that also adds to the time but that’s life.

11. 

    Mark Marderosian on August 4, 2016 at 11:28 am

    Would like to add a faint echo here to the newest comments. I’m a ten minute walk outside of West Newton Square. I do not have a problem with walking by self or pushing the stroller with my Grandchild in it to the Square as I have done MANY times too numerous to count. However, given where we live, it snows, it gets freezing and icy and still I pushed that stroller through some cold Fall weather before her Mother began to question my sanity. I tried, okay?
    Nor am I looking for a parking spot RIGHT in front of my fave establishment. So I will further echo what is being said here and say again: My word and experience is just as valid. I do not exaggerate when I say from Sept to June I could NOT find parking on Elm, Webster, or Washington Streets. Never. And not for lack of trying. I end up going to Auburndale…or home with a disappointed passenger in the back seat.
    I like the beginning of possible discussions regarding this and read with interest Chuck’s comments. I too would like to exhaust all other options before adding more parking spots. However, must mention that 1. Adding new buildings/tenants/etc. compounds the problem so a solution must take into account the zeal in which this is usually advocated. 2. We live with rain, cold and snow most of the year. I can’t expect my 1.5 year old Grandchild or 80+ Mother to navigate as well as I.