For years, Webster Street residents organized, signed petitions and lobbied the city for residential permit parking on the street. The street’s close proximity to downtown Boston and Logan International Airport’s meant commuters, air travelers and even Logan Airport employees from outside East Boston would use the street for parking all hours of the day and night.
Recently, much to the relief of residents, the City’s Boston Transportation Department made Webster 24-hour resident only parking.
However, last week the city came out and took down the residential permit parking only signs and replaced them with two-hour parking signs. The two-hour parking, according to the signs would be from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, meaning non-residents could park on Webster Street for two hours during the day and all day on Saturday and Sunday.
Residents immediately inundated the city and Councilor Lydia Edward’s office with calls trying to figure out what happened and why residents were not notified of the change.
“Three times this summer I’ve warned people with campers or an RV that they can’t park on Webster overnight,” said Webster Street resident April Abenza. “As much as it pains me, because I pay $2,000 per year for my nanny to park at the church, the 24-hour rule needs to be imposed.”
What got resident even more miffed was the fact the two-hour restriction was only during the daytime and not overnight.
“It has never made sense to me why our restrictions are 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. when we have no issues that time of day,” said Andrew Pike.
Many living on the street argue it’s overnight and weekend non-resident parking that has historically been the issue on the street.
“During the day there’s always spots, it’s after 5 p.m. that we need the enforcement,” said Abenza.
Longtime Jeffries Point resident Mary Lou McDonough argued that the signs should have never been changed.
“I fought for years to get resident sticker parking (on Webster Street),” she said. “We need parking after 5 p.m.”
She added if the city wanted to make it two-hour parking to accommodate guests or home caregivers for elderly living on the street the city should have made the two-hour parking 24-hours not from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Fortunately, after much complaining to city officials, Councilor Edwards reported that the old signs would go back up in the next few days and the street would revert back to 24-hour resident only parking.