The Manager's report back on Kendall Square Parking Considerations

Context and Background

Kendall Square is a neighborhood of rapid change and growth. Over a dozen private land development projects are currently active and several of them have had a major impact on streets and the on-street parking supply. Disability parking spaces are a vital resource for people who need direct access to residences, stores, office space, and other amenities.

In partnership with the Cambridge Commission for Persons with Disabilities, we aim to provide a suitable supply of disability parking (disability parking) spaces across the neighborhood. Discussion The City installs two types of disability parking spaces: residential and commercial. Residential spaces are requested by citizens, who complete an application which is reviewed by DOT staff against a set of criteria. Most are approved and they can be used by any vehicle displaying a disability parking plate or placard.

Commercial parking spaces can be requested by anyone, including business owners, and there is no application. DOT staff will review the request and install a space if appropriate. In addition, DOT staff identify locations and install spaces to ensure coverage. In nearly all cases a disability parking space supplants existing parking supply – in residential areas a permit parking (RPP) space and in commercial areas a parking meter.

We try not to remove a bus stop or loading zone, although in rare cases we will relocate a regulated space to make room for a disability parking space. Any vehicle with a plate or placard can use any parking meter for no charge and without a time restriction.

Kendall Square

For the purposes of this response, we assume Kendall Square is east of Galileo Galilei Way, north of Main Street, south of Binney Street, and west of First Street, inclusive of the streets on the borders. Nearly all on-street parking in this area is commercial, either parking meter or loading zone. Existing on-street parking is as follows:

2

Binney Street

The section west of Third Street

is mostly occupied by work zone. There is metered parking on the north and south sides of

Binney between Third and First

Streets. 23 parking

1 disability parking space

Munroe, Linskey, and Atheneum Streets

Munroe and Linskey (east of second) have metered parking on the south side and Atheneum has metered parking east of Second. 41 parking

spaces(2 on Monroe,3 on Linskey)

Broadway

Substantial construction work has closed the westbound lanes of Broadway between Galileo and Third, where it is one-way eastbound to vehicle traffic and has no parking. East of Third Street, there is metered parking on the north side. 34 parking

Main Street

Both the north and south sides of Main have parking meters. 40 parking

Galileo Galilei

Way There is no on-street parking available on this street. 0 metered parking spaces

Ames Street

There is some parking on the east and west sides of Ames Street. 5 parking

Third Street

Like Binney Street, parking on long sections of Third Street are not available due to land development work zones. Some parking remains on both sides. 20 parking

First Street

Parking is available on the west side between Binney and Atheneum. 10 parking

2 disability parking space

Proposed New Disability Parking Spaces

DOT staff have identified the following locations for new disability parking spaces in Kendall Square:  92 Ames Street, next to the Bank of America (replacing one metered space)  1 Broadway (replacing one metered space)