The Revere Traffic Commission held its regular monthly meeting on Thursday, June 18, in the City Councillor Joseph A. Del Grosso City Council Chambers at Revere City Hall. DPW Director Christopher Ciaramella presided over the session that was attended by Police Chief Maria LaVita, Fire Chief James Cullen, City Engineer Nick Rystrom, and Chief of Planning and Community Development Tom Skwierawski.
The commission conducted a number of public hearings.
The first matter was a request to add a Handicapped Person Parking space by adding 77 Reservoir Avenue. "There is no driveway access and this meets all of the requirements for a handicapped parking space," said Ciaramella. The commissioners unanimously approved the application.
Next up was a request to Amend Schedule VIII, Section 10.99.080 (Parking Restrictions Generally) by adding a "No Parking Anytime" restriction on Ensign Street westerly from Hauman Street to Sullivan Street. It was noted that all of the homes on the opposite side of Ensign St. have driveways.
Suzanne DelGrosso of 31 Ensign St. spoke in favor of the measure. She told the commissioners that the street is narrow and there are no sidewalks, which forces children going to the Lincoln School to walk in the street. She noted that Ensign St. is used as a cut-through street and speeding is rampant. She also pointed out that many of the cars that park there do not belong to residents.
Ciaramella noted that by removing parking from one side of the street, which essentially is widening the street for traffic, it could encourage speeding. He also suggested that the city make this a 24-hour Residents Only parking.
Parking Director Zach Babo suggested making the entire length of Ensign St. parking on one side only. The commission tabled the matter to allow for further study.
Next up was a proposed amendment to Schedule IV of Title 10 (Isolated Stop Signs) by adding stop signs on Centennial Avenue for both eastbound and westbound traffic to Campbell Avenue. and for westbound traffic.
The intersection is in the area of a dog park and therefore has many pedestrians with their dogs. In addition, Skwierawski noted that a recent traffic study revealed that 85 percent of motorists exceed the speed limit in this area and it is hoped that stop signs will slow traffic.
The commissioners unanimously approved the measure.
The next matter involved stop signs that already are in place on Shirley Ave. at Thornton St. and Nahant Ave., but which are not officially "on the books." The commissioners unanimously approved adding both of the stop signs to the city ordinance.
The next item was a request to Amend Schedule VIII, Section 10.99.080 (Parking Restrictions Generally) by making Prospect Avenue northeasterly to Broadway from 74 Prospect Avenue and Reservoir Avenue northeasterly from 6 Reservoir
Avenue to 46 Reservoir Avenue, "Resident Sticker Parking Only 24 Hours a Day
7 Days a week."
Ward 4 City Councillor Paul Argenzio spoke in favor of this measure, noting that patrons of Broadway businesses park on these streets in order to avoid the meters and that commuters on the MBTA buses also park there. In addition, residents of a nearby apartment complex also park on Prospect Ave.
Argenzio noted that the Resident Sticker Only signs already exist on Reservoir Ave, but are not officially in the ordinance.
A number of residents spoke in favor of the measure. Former School Supt. Paul Dakin, who lives on Prospect Ave., sent in a letter, read by Argenzio, that added that individuals park their cars on Prospect Ave. and take Ubers to the airport.
Bob Lospennato, another Prospect Ave. resident, told the commissioners, "This problem has become outrageous in recent years. I am unable to park in front of my own home on my street."
Another resident, Stephen Damiano, also spoke in favor of the proposal, noting that the entire area "has become completely swarmed."
A lifelong resident of Prospect Ave. said that he has no parking availability in front of his house, especially in the evening. "We have a problem in this city," he added.
Babo also spoke, echoing the problems cited by the residents. He noted that there were 160 residential parking violations issued on Prospect Ave. in the most recent three-month period.
There were no opponents and the commissioners unanimously approved the addition of the parking restrictions.
The commission then took up some new matters. The first was as follows: "Mayor Patrick Keefe, Jr. requests that the Traffic Commission consider establishing a Traffic Commission Regulation limiting the number of residential parking permits issued per address or unit to four (4) with the stipulation that residents may apply for additional parking permits through an appeal process administered by the Parking Department."
Babo suggested that the commission refer this item to the city's Traffic Working Group (TWG) to review the data and then devise an appropriate measure. He noted that some single-family homes have as many as 11 parking permits.
The commission unanimously tabled the matter in order to refer it to a working group.
The commission also tabled a request to amend Schedule IV of Title 10: (Isolated Stop Signs) by adding the following: Bixby Street for southbound traffic at Sewall Street and for Sewall Street for westbound traffic at Bixby Street.
The commission moved a number of items to public hearings for its next meeting:
— Two requests for handicapped parking spaces at 84 Florence Ave. and 178 Constitution Ave.;
— A series of amendments that would restrict parking at the city's schools to school employees. Police Chief LaVita told her fellow commissioners that presently there is no ability for the police to ensure that only school personnel are able to park at the schools during school hours; and
— A number of amendments, presented by Julie DeMauro from the city's Planning and Community Development Dept. and Ian McKinnon from the traffic consulting form Howard Stein Hudson, that would prohibit parking along the fencing of Revere Housing Authority property on Sewall and Harris Sts., as well as changing the direction of Harris St. The series of amendments also would include Bixby St.
The final matter of the night was a request to place a speed bump on Charger St. Charger St. resident Christine Robertsion presented the request to the commission. She noted that the majority of traffic on Charger St. far exceeds the speed limit.
"With all of the data that has been collected over the years, there is positive proof that the speed bump is warranted," said Robertson, who made note of a particular scofflaw who speeds excessively in order to make the light at Squire Rd.
DeMauro told the commissioners that speeding sign-boards will be re-installed on Charger St. and more data will be collected. DeMauro added that if the data warrants it, a temporary speed hump could be installed and the Traffic Commission then could approve a permanent speed hump.