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Salem committee backs temporary October limits on tour-bus stops in Washington Square
Summary
A Salem City Council committee voted to recommend an October-only ordinance that shortens Washington Square tour-bus parking to 10-minute drop-offs, adds a new drop-off on New Derby Street and expands Canal Street parking, while removing a Bridge Street drop-off over safety concerns.
Salem City — On June 26, 2025, the Salem City Council Committee on Public Health, Safety and Environment, co-posted with the Committee of the Whole, voted to send a proposed ordinance to the full council recommending October-only limits on tour-bus stops in Ward 5 that convert several Washington Square spaces to 10-minute drop-offs.
The committee’s recommendation, offered as a package of edits to the city’s tour-bus rules, aims to reduce curbside congestion and limit roadside drop-offs in crosswalks and mid-street areas, officials said.
Councilor Cohen, who led the recap of the committee changes, said the committee added a new drop-off at New Derby Street in front of the bank and lengthened the Canal Street tour-bus parking from 220 feet to 500 feet. “I’ve had a lot of nightmares about tour buses,” Cohen said during the meeting, and then summarized the revisions the committee approved earlier.
Committee members also voted to remove a recommended drop-off zone on Bridge Street near the old jail after raising safety concerns. Councilor Hapworth said there had been “a lot of concerns, at least on my part and on others’ parts, about just the safety of pulling out of Howard Street and just the amount of cars pulling in, pedestrian safety with the crosswalk there,” and noted no sight-line study had been done for that location.
The committee changed two Washington Square limits that previously had been set at longer durations: the Washington Square West stop had been limited to one hour and Washington Square South to two hours in the original language. The committee’s recommendation converts those spaces to 10-minute drop-offs for October only, with committee members describing the intent as avoiding prolonged curbside parking and preventing drop-offs in crosswalks.
The committee cited recommendations from the Traffic and Parking Commission, Salem Police Lieutenant Tucker, and Christina Hodge in shaping the revisions. Councilor Jerso moved to send the ordinance to the full council with a positive recommendation; Councilor Harvey seconded. The motion passed 5-0.
Councilor Hapworth noted the ordinance is intended to apply only in October and said there may be a subsequent working group to review operations outside of October. The committee did not adopt permanent, year-round changes at this meeting.
The ordinance will be placed on the full Salem City Council agenda for consideration.
