The New Bedford traffic commission plans to add seasonal speed tables to these city roads

NEW BEDFORD — Some new street paint and seasonal speed tables will be coming to East and West Rodney French Boulevards. 

The Traffic Commission on Wednesday tabled three petitions filed by residents and a city councilor to address parking concerns near Cisco Brewers, but approved a petition for speed tables in the South End. It was the third time Ward 6 Councilor Joseph Lopes had petitioned for the vehicle-slowing devices. 

The tabled petitions will be revisited in November, but in the interim, the Department of Public Infrastructure (DPI) will paint parking spaces and areas near the street corners along parts of East Rodney French Boulevard to address concerns. 

The department will paint diagonal lines starting from the curb corners and ending at a given distance — however far the existing street signs dictate — to reinforce that parking is prohibited within a certain distance from street corners, said Laurie Alfonso, the city parking clerk.

Elaine Kelleher, a nearby resident, has said the cars parked on the boulevard up to the corner make it hard to see oncoming traffic when exiting left from the side streets.

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Residents filed two petitions for resident-only parking along Norman and Clara streets, citing various issues with patrons of the new Cisco Brewery. In response to increased activity around the entertainment complex, Lopes also filed a petition to install "no parking" signs on the westerly side of East Rodney French Boulevard from Frederick to Butler streets. 

Alfonso said the commission tabled the three petitions because an attendee questioned the legality of the commission placing the items on the agenda. 

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Under state law, the New Bedford Traffic Commission is authorized to establish resident-only parking districts only in areas of high population concentration where the proximity of public educational, religious, recreational, transportation or health facilities makes the parking of vehicles by parties other than residents common, convenient and consistent.

Alfonso said if the commission outright denied the petitions due to this legal concern, then they could not take the items up for at least one year. Instead, the commission will consult a city solicitor in advance of the next meeting. 

The lines and spaces will likely be painted next week, said Manuel Silva, DPI deputy commissioner and a Traffic Commission member. 

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The speed tables will be removable and installed between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Jamie Ponte, DPI commissioner, previously said the city's biggest concern with speed tables is plowing, but the seasonal installment obviates that concern. 

Silva, who voted in favor of Lopes' petition, said the city councilor will need to figure out a source of funding for the speed tables. He said each one can cost between $4,000 and $5,000, and the city would likely install six. 

Standard-Times reporter Anastasia E. Lennon can be reached at alennon@s-t.com. You can follow her on Twitter at @aelennon1. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Standard-Times today.