May 13, 2010

Red Sox Parking

I received an email asking me to sign this petition about a change to parking policies in Brookline, MA.

The Town of Brookline has instituted new parking policies at legal meters in areas surrounding Fenway Park. Parking at many meters is limited to two hours, even after 6PM. These measures are clearly targeted at Red Sox fans attending evening games. Please consider signing a petition to stop Brookline’s ridiculous parking policies by boycotting Brookline businesses until the policies change.

In general, parking meters in Boston and surrounding communities are in effect until 6 PM, after which time you can grab a space for as long as you like. It’s much cheaper to find a space in Brookline (or on Commonwealth Ave. near Boston University) and take the T in than to pay for parking around Fenway.

When I graduated from college, I lived and worked in the Fenway area of Boston. Two roads, Fenway and Park Drive surround The Fens:


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A park that is part of the Olmsted emerald necklace. Park Drive near Fenway Park is made up of a through street and a separate service road for the apartments. When I was there, the service road had resident only parking after six on the right side of the street, and the left side was free parking anytime. That’s where I parked when I went to Fenway. A few years, ago, however, they changed the left side to resident parking after 10 PM, and they tow. Given that the Red Sox seldom play games lasting less than three hours, that regulation basically banned Red Sox parking on that street.

Brookline seems to be doing the same thing. I wonder why now. Businesses are complaining, but Red Sox fans have been doing this for years. I suspect parking has become so expensive around Fenway that more and more people are looking for a cheap way to park.

I won’t sign the petition, although I suspect Brookline might miss the extra business those Red Sox fans provide to the town. Some of them stop for dinner where they park, or might buy a drink after the game. Rather than create animosity, maybe the town should put in a $10 rate for anyone parking over three hours at a meter after six PM. It will still be much cheaper than driving to Fenway, and the town will capture some extra revenue. Both sides win.

6 thoughts on “Red Sox Parking

  1. James Mason

    Coming from the far reaches of New England, I will either park for $20 at the Prudential if I’m in a rush, or if I have time on my hands I’ll park at one of the outlier green line T stops like Riverside. Is it really worth the “free” price dealing with tons of traffic and a mess of people?

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  2. Joseph J. Finn

    Apropos of nothing, “Yawkey” is a simply fabulous name for a train stop.

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  3. Pingback: Links 5-13-2010: Toronto series encouraging, Beckett, more « Red Sox Talk

  4. ptodd

    “Brookline seems to be doing the same thing. I wonder why now”

    Maybe their residents are complaining about the derth of available parking on nights Red Sox play. This could adversely affect local businesses in the prime evening business hours of 6-9 pm, offsetting the business obtained from Red Sox fans who stop by after 10 (limited mainly to pubs I imagine).

    I would not sign the petition either.

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  5. Russell

    The meters in the back bay and south end are in effect until 8 PM, not 6 PM. That change was made several years ago.

    Brookline has been inching this way for a few years. On the side streets, a lot of the signs used to be 2 hour parking during business hours to avoid commuters parking in town and taking the T in. They have since replaced almost all of them to be 2 hour parking all the time!

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  6. David Pinto Post author

    @Russell: Thanks Russell. My daughter is at Simmons, and the last I looked the meters there were in effect until 6 PM. Of course, there are no business on that part of Brookline Ave to block.

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