Boston struggles with scooter parking solution

Fri, Jul 18, 2008

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(Little Suzy Phillips, age 6, offers a proposal to solve Boston’s parking issue. flickr/DanCox)

“We understand the green issue, and we don’t want to prohibit that. But want to make sure it’s done in a safe way,” says BTD spokesman Jim Mansfield. He may not have a solution, but he knows one thing, “they do not belong on the sidewalk.”

*Behind the scenes at a Boston Transportation Department conference*
Wow! How to solve this dilemma!? Let’s see here… Less people are driving cars, um kay. City congestion is down a bit, all right. Scooter riders are looking for easy access parking, I see. Didn’t Piaggio Vespa have a little thing they were doing with scooter parking? Was that successful? (yes). Hrm, I have NO idea.

Come on Boston! You got a bunch of bright guys/gals there in the city. Isn’t Boston where schools like MIT, Cambridge and Harvard are located? You’ve got The Boston Theological Institute, why don’t you ask for some divine intervention here!?

Of course, I’m not there in the thick of it, so I’m not sure what sort of “act of congress” it would take to get some regular car parking spots converted into scooter spots, but I hope they figure it out soon. Big cities all across the nation are going to have to figure out a way to cope with this in the next couple of years (unless GM invents they flying, solar powered SUV first).

Thanks to Tim for the scoop! Click the title link to read the whole story.

(I know a consultant that can offer Boston some proven brainstorming techniques!)

3 Responses to “Boston struggles with scooter parking solution”

  1. Anonymous Says:

    I’ve commuted in Boston for 10 years on my motorcycle and have recently assigned commuting duties to my scooter.
    Since I started riding (and probably well before) two wheelers have been trying to get the city of Boston to do something about the parking situation to no avail. It is of no interest to them.

    Reply

  2. Steve Says:

    Dang! No interest in reducing congestion at least? If a city doesn’t bite at that, they won’t bite at anything… except maybe a big federal grant.

    I would think having the streets covered in every MIT built electric vehicle permutation available would inspire them to be a bit more forward thinking. Guess not.

    Thanks for the scoop!

    Reply

  3. Anonymous Says:

    After sinking the most $$ into the largest transportation project in history, one questions why Boston officials would want to discourage efficient use of the roads there?! C’mon, it’s a joke, they have to justify the spending somehow and get cars to use the roadways…

    Reply

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