Partial Parking Ban Likely for Ludlow

Last minute lobbying from a group of Ludlow Place residents will lead to a partial parking ban for the street as part of efforts to reduce traffic congestion on the small street adjacent to the Westfield Y.

The lobbying followed a proposal Tuesday night from the Town Council's public safety committee for a larger parking ban on Ludlow. Residents argued to the Council that the proposal would hinder residential parking on the street. The discussion comes following a long standing debate over the parking and traffic conditions on the small street, which receives cars parking to use the Y.

The original proposal, delivered by Councilwoman Joann Neylan to the group of four residents and her Council colleagues, called for no parking on the northwest side of Ludlow, along with enforcing no U-Turn rules on the street and additional striping to enhance driver awareness of the road and the "L" intersection with Nelson. The plan also called for a parking ban at the intersection of Ludlow and Nelson to increase visibility.

"We hope this will eliminate the issue all together," Neylan said.

The final proposal will have a parking ban closer to Clark Street but not be the complete side the street. Parking will be allowed in front of several Ludlow homes.

The resident group argued against the Neylan proposal, saying it would prohibit them from parking in front of their homes and pressing other solutions, including turning Ludlow into a one way street or making the street resident only parking. The group cited a meeting held earlier this year between residents and Town Council members, where a proposal was formulated to look at resident only parking.

Councilman Mark Ciarrocca said during meetings of the public safety committee, it was determined that a resident only parking street at all times for Ludlow would create a tough legal precedent for the town.

"There is no street in town that has resident only parking," he said. "Quite frankly the concern is if we allow it in one area of town it will open the floodgates."

Neylan said that while there are partial resident only parking rules on street with parking time limits, a move on Ludlow could result in residents near the high school to demand resident only parking as an answer to parking woes in that neighborhood.

The residents thought they had a deal with the town to have the resident only plan put into place.

"When they are two meetings and consensus at meetings and then to blindside us," Mark Hademan said.

Mayor Andy Skibitsky took issue with the characterization of the residents being blindsided, noting the agreement from the meeting was only a proposal and not a final deal. Hademan apologized for using the term.

The group noted that they need the option of residential parking on street the Y's hours have made it tough to do it in the past.

"The Y is opened from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.," Francis Polano said. "They're hours are absurd. For us to find parking on our street it to stay up until midnight. That's not fair."

A proposal to make Ludlow one way was considered by the committee, but Neylan said the town's traffic safety consultant recommended against the plan due to the traffic issues in the surrounding neighborhood. Residents said if Ferris on the other side of the Y could be one way, why not Ludlow. Town officials said the two street are different and the connection to Nelson makes it tougher to make Ludlow a one way street.

Neylan said she is particularly concerned with U-turns on Ludlow and has visited the street multiple times in recent weeks to study the issue. She believes it is a public safety issue that even the limited parking ban would alleviate.

"People make U-turns in big SUVs and there are small kids," Neylan said.

The agreement between the residents and the Council would have a more limited parking ban on the north side of the street, allowing more parking in front of some homes, along with banning parking closer to Clark Street.

Council members stressed to the Ludlow group that whatever plan is adopted can be changed and continued monitoring will be done. Town Adminstrator Jim Gildea said the revised plan will likely be implemented when Skibitsky signs an ordinance in September after final passage.

"This may not be final," Councilman Jim Foerst said. "We take an incremental approach to traffic safety issues."