hello? city hall?
a confused friend pointed out this evening that the city website is still advertising free snow emergency parking at the early garage on middlesex street, though the city employees actually at the early garage on middlesex street are equally adamant that no free parking is ever available there. http://www.lowellma.gov/newsitems/20071121-snow-parking-policy/
the other supremely confusing element of the present snow emergency announcement(s) by the city is that there is (apparently) a delay upon which the actual snow emergency takes place after the announcement, and though you find word at 6pm that a snow emergency has been declared, it's not immediately obvious (though buried in the obfuscating language of the announcement) that the actual emergency itself doesn't go into effect for another six hours. http://www.lowellma.gov/newsitems/20071121-snow-parking-policy/
three points, in case anyone at city hall is listening/reading:
1. if snow emergency parking is not available at the early garage, the web page suggesting it is needs to be changed ASAP. (and if it is available at the early garage, then employees there need to be informed and people let in to park).
2. if snow emergency announcements are made, then they should be made more clearly. if the emergency is "declared" at 6pm, then it's more than a little confusing that it only might "be effective" as of some different hour. (in this case, midnight). my suggestion is leading the announcement not with the time of the announcement, but with the more important time of the actual snow emergency. as in, "tonight's snow emergency begins at midnight--cars can begin to park for free at 6pm, and will be ticketed if left on the street after midnight". or something like that.
3. if snow emergency announcements, declarations and effectiveness should be foreseeable at 6pm the night before a significant storm, having the garages only open at midnight is highly inconvenient to residents, to the point of being ridiculous and more than a little mean-spirited. are people supposed to go to bed, set their alarms for midnight, and then move their cars? really? i'm hoping that the ayotte garage is free starting at 6pm, but it's hard to tell from the online info.
or do i have this all confused? (in which case, see original points about the lack of clarity/veracity of the city web site...)
all we want to know is when and where can we park? and by when do we have to be off the streets so as to avoid tickets and tows?
the other supremely confusing element of the present snow emergency announcement(s) by the city is that there is (apparently) a delay upon which the actual snow emergency takes place after the announcement, and though you find word at 6pm that a snow emergency has been declared, it's not immediately obvious (though buried in the obfuscating language of the announcement) that the actual emergency itself doesn't go into effect for another six hours. http://www.lowellma.gov/newsitems/20071121-snow-parking-policy/
three points, in case anyone at city hall is listening/reading:
1. if snow emergency parking is not available at the early garage, the web page suggesting it is needs to be changed ASAP. (and if it is available at the early garage, then employees there need to be informed and people let in to park).
2. if snow emergency announcements are made, then they should be made more clearly. if the emergency is "declared" at 6pm, then it's more than a little confusing that it only might "be effective" as of some different hour. (in this case, midnight). my suggestion is leading the announcement not with the time of the announcement, but with the more important time of the actual snow emergency. as in, "tonight's snow emergency begins at midnight--cars can begin to park for free at 6pm, and will be ticketed if left on the street after midnight". or something like that.
3. if snow emergency announcements, declarations and effectiveness should be foreseeable at 6pm the night before a significant storm, having the garages only open at midnight is highly inconvenient to residents, to the point of being ridiculous and more than a little mean-spirited. are people supposed to go to bed, set their alarms for midnight, and then move their cars? really? i'm hoping that the ayotte garage is free starting at 6pm, but it's hard to tell from the online info.
or do i have this all confused? (in which case, see original points about the lack of clarity/veracity of the city web site...)
all we want to know is when and where can we park? and by when do we have to be off the streets so as to avoid tickets and tows?
posted by kad barma at 6:17 PM
2 Comments:
I am down here in King of Prussia, already enjoying the snow, but your point about free parking from midnight is indeed strange. I would think that it would be from some reasonable time, like 6 o'clock in the evening.
Another thing about down here is that they have tanker trucks that go out and spray a brine solution on the roads before the snow. The locals say it works—but, I think a member of the local township council is part of the proposal team and someone noted that the council uses salt without regard to the environment, aside from that of the drivers.
We are looking for 7 inches only.
Regards — Cliff
The City Manager has helpfully clarified that the free parking starts at 6pm, so that's great news, and better now that they're being clear letting people know.
In Europe they frequently use a liquid alcohol solution that appears to be superior to salt, both in the range of temperatures in which the solution is effective, as well as in reduced negative impact on the environment. (The alcohol breaks easily down into useful molecules, as opposed to the salt which reduced arability and other environmental considerations). I kinda like the idea of recycling brewing byproducts.
Enjoy PA, and hope you have safe travels home.
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