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Commission considers 'No Stopping Anytime' on Patterson Boulevard to reduce conflicts with delivery trucks and bicyclists
Summary
City staff proposed changing time-limited parking on Patterson Boulevard (Longfellow to Oak Park) to "No Stopping Anytime," citing narrow travel widths, delivery-truck maneuvers and bicycle sharrow use; commissioners asked staff to verify accident history and quantify parking impacts and to return with data in June.
City staff presented a proposal to change parking restrictions on Patterson Boulevard between Longfellow and Oak Park Boulevard from time-limited "No Parking 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m." to "No Stopping Anytime," arguing the existing cross-section leaves insufficient maneuvering room for delivery trucks and increases collision risk for bicyclists and motorists.
Anthony Nudy, an associate engineer, walked commissioners through site observations and cross-section imagery, noting that with parking on both sides the southbound travel width can fall to about 4 feet (northbound about 7 feet) and that large vehicles and delivery trucks cannot safely pass a parked vehicle while maintaining the minimum recommended travel lane of 10 feet. Nudy said the proposed change would align with the city's parking criteria and the ongoing Safe Streets for All (SS4A) study.
Commissioners and participants discussed parking impacts. One resident said families in the neighborhood use the route frequently to reach a nearby school, asking whether the city had any projects specifically assigned to that crossing. Staff responded that the location has been identified through SS4A outreach but that no dedicated project is yet assigned to that precise crossing; staff encouraged the resident to register for updates and provide contact information.
Several commissioners raised concerns about displacing parked vehicles, noting employee parking from the adjacent retail center sometimes bleeds onto Longfellow and could shift parking demand. Staff said most of the immediate area is already constrained by driveway approaches and daylighting rules (the first 20 feet at driveways cannot be used for parking), and that the change would likely affect only a small number of stalls (staff estimated a small number per side, with northbound possibly two to four stalls). Commissioners asked staff to confirm exact stall counts and to check accident-investigation records for that stretch. Staff agreed to report back at the June meeting with the number of affected parking stalls and any accident history for the location.
The commission did not take a final vote on changing signage at the meeting; members directed staff to gather the requested data and return with recommendations. The item remains under consideration for future action.
