The Public Safety and Transportation Committee on Nov. 19 voted to restrict parking on the block of Islington Road between Commonwealth Avenue and Ryder Terrace, approving a plan that limits parking on the west side and applies a partial restriction on the east side.

Councilor Block, who filed the appeal on behalf of residents, said petition-signers were concerned about a blind curve and the potential for head-on collisions and delayed emergency access after recent carriageway reconstruction increased parking demand. "This bend is sharp, and people are concerned about accidents that could happen as a result of that curb, which is practically a blind curb," Block said.

City traffic staff (Mister David Koses) presented four options considered by traffic council: restrict parking on the east side, restrict the west side, take no action, or deny the request. He described street measurements (22–24 feet wide) and vehicle-width scenarios showing that two large vehicles parked opposite each other can block a 100-inch fire apparatus. Koses also summarized a dry run with the Newton Fire Department that demonstrated the truck could not pass in certain arrangements.

Neighbors gave lengthy testimony: some described repeated near-misses on the curve, concerns about garbage and delivery trucks, and a fatal emergency response several years ago that they said underlined the risk; others urged patience, saying much of the parking pressure is temporary and due to construction and ballgames at Lyons Field. "With cars parked on both sides, you essentially have a one-lane road on a hill with a blind curve," said Kathy Cade, a resident.

Council members debated whether to remand the item back to traffic council for further work or to act immediately. Councilor Downs initially proposed remanding the matter with the instruction that traffic council consider restricting one side; after discussion she withdrew the remand and moved to approve a specific restriction. Following a failed vote on one configuration, the committee approved the motion to restrict parking on the west side with a partial restriction on the east side.

A roll call recorded ayes from Councilors Downs, Block, Grossman, Lipoff, Greenberg, Wright and Lucas; Councilor Bixby was not voting. The committee asked staff to implement the regulatory language needed to add the parking restriction and noted that traffic-calming measures (speed humps, double yellow lines, or other longer-term remedies) would need to follow a separate traffic-calming process and budget if residents requested them.

The committee’s action changes the traffic-and-parking regulations for that specific block; Koses said staff would coordinate sign placement and the legal language. Residents were told the change can be revisited through the traffic-council process if conditions change after construction completes.