Pittsfield Traffic Commission Rejects Handicapped Parking Plan
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Traffic Commission rejected a plan increasing the number of handicapped parking spaces on the city's four main commercial streets.
Ward 4 Councilor Christopher Connell put forth a petition calling for additional handicapped parking spaces on North, South, Tyler, and Elm Streets. He then identified spots with the commissioner of public services, Downtown Pittsfield, the Commission on Disabilities and the city engineer to develop a plan.
"We had a group that looked at all of these from all different avenues throughout the city," Connell said. "I just felt there was a need for this as well as the Chairperson for the Commission on Disabilities and [former] engineer [Matthew] Billeter."
The result was a plan to add or relocate about 20 spots. The petition was originally filed nearly a year ago after Connell noticed more than 50 percent of the population is elderly but there were very few handicapped parking spaces in those commercial areas.
However, Chairman Guy Pannesco said he talked to some of the businesses who had concerns with the locations of the spots and felt more work needed to be done.
"The way the petition was put in was ill-fated," Pannesco said.
Pannesco said one of those locations was right in front of a building that has handicapped parking in the rear and the front door isn't handicapped accessible. A handicapped spot there makes it more difficult for a person with disabilities while taking a parking spot away from someone else.
"There are a few on this list that I think some of us have problems with as far as doing a blanket," Pannesco said.
John Mullen said one of those on the list was in front of a restaurant that does most of its business through pick up orders. There is limited parking there because of curb cuts and fire hydrants so a spot there makes it difficult to provide quick and easy pickup.
Connell said the determinations were based on blocks and on not any individual business. On Tyler Street, he said there is more parking than on North Street but only one handicapped space. He is asking for four more on that street.
"We looked at these as blocks, not knowing the business being referred to, I don't know if the businesses next to it that could be of benefit," Connell said.
William Sturgeon wants to know who those objecting businesses are because he'll be telling those with disabilities not to visit them.
"If you don't want us, we don't want to be there so we will be going after the names and addresses of those businesses so we can share those with the disabled people," Sturgeon said.
Sturgeon said there are many people who need handicapped parking, which includes wounded veterans, but few spots. He said a business on North Street that sells walkers for people with disabilities doesn't even have a spot in front of it. Over the years, the number of spots continually decreases, he said.
"I was a beat cop on North Street. I know how many have disappeared. Every time we would pave the street, two would disappear," he said.
Pannesco said the businesses weren't "totally against it" but were surprised when they were notified about the possibility. He said they just had questions about how the location was chosen.
Commissioner of Public Services David Turocy stood behind the technical analysis that went into determining the spots. But, he did say the city could have done a better job at talking with the individual property owners.
"Technically where we are asking for them makes sense but we need to do a better job reaching out," Turocy said.
The issues raised were mostly on Tyler Street and not on North Street. That is partly because of Downtown Pittsfield Inc. Executive Director Kristine Hurley did "a lot of that legwork," Turocy said.
Ward 2 City Councilor Kevin Morandi doesn't believe a few handicapped spaces would harm any business but would increase safety. He urged the Traffic Commission to accept the recommendations.
Traffic Commissioner Mark Brennan, however, said businesses voiced concern to him as well and he wouldn't want to vote for any of the changes at this point. He motioned to table the petition and attempt to address it again at the next meeting. But, in a 2-2 vote, it failed. Connell and Pannesco voted to keep it on the table. A vote on the petition failed 3-1, with Brennan, Pannesco, and Mullen against it.
The places under consideration for new handicapped spaces are: at 43 East, 54 North, North and School intersection, 340 North, in front of St. Joseph's Church, 453 North, 393 North, on Summer at the intersection of North, 75 North, 39 South, 119 Elm, at Berkshire Hills Coins at 222 Elm, at the corner of Brown and Tyler Street, in front of Tyler Street Pizza, and Forest Plaza and Tyler Street. It also called for the removal of spots at 28 North, 743 North, and 89 South. The plan also looked to swap the loading zone at 137 North with the handicapped spot next to it.
Tags: handicapped accessibility, parking, traffic commission,
