Dear Billy T and Somerville/Medford News Weekly Speakup Line,
Hey Billy, Wanted to reach out to you privately to just vent! I no longer live in Somerville, but do have family who do. Specifically I have a loved one that is developmentally disabled and lives at a group home at 386 Broadway.
As you know this area is awful for parking. It is not so much folks want to park there but if you drive in that area and try to visit a loved one, or they have to be dropped off /picked up for appointments, day programs etc. There is not one handicap spot out front for vans, loved ones to visit, etc. The only thing that is there is a very large BUS LANE/ and BIKE LANE. Who designed this craziness? There are eight clients who are disabled at that house. Staff has a very small narrow driveway to park at minimum 2-3 cars behind each other so no one else could even attempt to park in this one designated driveway. This is a DDS house that is ran by Walnut Street Center. So did no one take into account eight clients with disabilities, staff, family, who need/want to visit, doctor appointments, etc.? When they came up with this stupid design did they even talk to neighbors./clients? Today I almost got hit by an MBTA bus out front as I was trying to pick up my loved one for a visit to my home.. There were no parking spots in the driveway, nowhere to park and my loved one can’t walk long distances…what are family to do? This is so wrong! I hope and pray that you do become mayor and are able to fix all these injustices that have been done to disabled individuals, elderly folks, and hometown businesses that cant even get customers to come in due to the lack of parking. Winter Hill/Broadway is just awful. I am so saddened what my hometown has become. Okay, so enough of my venting. I know you understand. Praying that you will kick butt and make Somerville proud again. Sending many blessings to you and your family. Nancy
—-—Billy‘a reply:
Nancy,
Thank you and once I’m elected, one of my first tasks as mayor I will address all these issues I promise!
Sincerely,
Billy
It sounds like there is off-street parking available at this location for pickup and drop-off of people who can’t walk far. It sounds like it’s being used by staff who could park somewhere else or take the bus or bike in?
Adding parking would require removal of the bike/bus lane, which would cause delays for drivers who get stuck behind buses and bikes, for bus riders stuck in rush-hour traffic (including people with disabilities who can’t drive), and endanger the safety of bicyclists. That does not seem like a good tradeoff just for the convenience of staff who have other choices.
If a bus was being driven unsafely, you can report the driver at mbta.com. But if you simply don’t like that there are buses on the streets or that there is more than one lane of traffic in each direction, I don’t think you are going to be happy driving in any city on the planet.
So true it’s a disgrace. It’s so difficult to get in/out of your driveway as well. There are so many lanes you have to look in back n forth and everybody is flying up and down Broadway. Also people on bicycles they don’t care either they just fly on by too.