Worcester committee approves and files dozens of parking, crosswalk and speed-calming petitions

The Worcester City Parking & Traffic Committee handled a broad docket of petitions on Dec. 18, voting to approve some items, file others, and request chair’s orders or further neighborhood review for several traffic-safety actions:

Key outcomes (votes recorded by roll call where shown):

- 3D (Raymond Eliasson, 8 Shepherd St): DTM recommended placing a handicapped space on the opposite side (in front of 5 Shepherd St) because the original location is in a winter parking ban. The committee voted to re-advertise for the alternate location (motion approved; roll call recorded yeses). (Segments: public testimony SEG 082–165.)

- 3G (Kevin Baldwin / Kendrick Street): Callers asked to retain an existing handicapped space at 100–101 Kendrick; DTM recommended filing the removal petition and retaining the space. Committee voted to file and retain the space. (SEG 223–321.)

- Multiple handicap-space petitions (3A–3F): Several petitions (e.g., 46 Richard St, 75 West St, 31 Oxford St) were either filed or re-advertised per DTM recommendations to avoid winter-ban conflicts or to accept on-site alternatives. (SEG 2339–2413.)

- 5A–5C (Caitlin R. Doyle, Harding Street crosswalks): Committee accepted DTM recommendations to install interim pedestrian signs and to prioritize RRFBs pending funding; also approved chair’s orders for lane markings and a secondary stop sign at the Winter approach. (SEG 323–756.)

- 5D (Woodbine & Beaver): Committee approved painted crosswalks pending funding to construct ADA-compliant ramps. (SEG 923–1000.)

- 7C (Windsor Street residential permit zone): DTM recommended filing the petition (RPPs are for neighborhoods impacted by institutional uses); committee voted to file. (SEG 1090–1296.)

- 7B and 6C (Germaine Street / Lehi Street parking and speed-calming): On Germaine Street (7B), committee elected to hold the item while the district councilor gauges neighborhood changes tied to a new stadium; on Lehi Street (6C) DTM recommended a no-parking-anytime on the even side and a chair’s order to work with the councilor on crosswalks and traffic calming; the committee held the no-parking item and approved the chair’s order. (SEG 1528–1734 and SEG 1868–2070.)

- 11A (Lower Lincoln Street winter parking ban): Committee heard opposition from the Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center and DTM weighed operational and enforcement implications; the motion to adopt the petition converting a permanent winter ban to a declared-only ban (pilot/test) passed by roll call. (SEG 2118–2328.)

- 12B–12D (Worcester Regional Research Bureau communications): The committee filed three research communications and invited a short presentation from the Bureau. (SEG 2930–3510.)

Several additional petitions (bus stop relocations, signal timing, mid-block crosswalks near the Worcester Art Museum, and advisory speed signage) were filed or approved pending funding and ADA ramp work per DTM recommendations. Many approvals were conditioned on funding or referred to related committees for design work.

What this means: The committee largely deferred politically sensitive or enforcement-heavy changes (residential permit zones and some no-parking requests) back to neighborhood review or filing, while advancing a set of engineering and signage fixes (crosswalk paint, lane markings, RRFB prioritization) that DTM said can reduce crash risk more quickly. Committee actions direct DTM to proceed with chair’s orders and to return with design/funding updates as needed.

Votes and follow-up actions were recorded on the record by roll call for items enumerated above. The committee noted multiple items require funding approvals and cross-agency coordination (DPW, DTM, WRTA).