Worried that the section of Merrimack Street closest to White’s Corner is too narrow to accommodate a designated loading area, city councilors tabled an ordinance that would change downtown parking rules to allow two service zones in front of Harbor Place.
Councilors Joseph A. Bevilacqua and Michael S. McGonagle, as well as council Vice President Melinda Barrett opposed the designated zone, saying allowing vehicles to park in front of the building force passing cars into the oncoming lane of traffic.
“It’s an unsafe situation,” Bevilacqua said.
Councilors Thomas S. Sullivan and William J. Macek called for further study.
“I’m wondering why this is here,” Macek said. “People looking at still-vacant restaurant locations must have commented there was no place for service unloading.”
Macek suggested the council put off voting to allow City Engineer John H. Pettis to explain why the service zones were proposed.
The council will take up the proposed ordinance again in three weeks.
This is hilarious. Let us wonder why this development has asked for loading zones NOW and not before the building was built ? Does anyone have a clue around here ? Did anyone think about this issue while they debated the permits for the development ? Did anyone even contemplate that trucks may need to unload goods here ? I mean, it is a normal act of commerce and usually goes along with a building like this. Is this something new in building developments projects ? All of a sudden everyone is surprised by this request ? The city engineer must have thought this may be needed, no ? Is anyone awake ….Bueller, Bueller ?????
Total and complete lack of competence, although, not surprising as our local government is more concerned with naming boardwalks and walking trails rather than actually thinking through a major planning issue that will effect traffic in one of the busiest areas of the city.
And yet, – the uneducated continue to vote for the same clowns over & over & over.
No kidding. It never ends around here. The total lunacy of it all. One would think that at some point, SOME would wake up and have a clue. After all IT IS the biggest project downtown in decades. But nope. The heads continue to stay in the sand and worry only about petty issues.