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Comments
Marty Walsh
"Residents just need to understand a tractor trailer is going to hit them."
I'd say install a sacrificial
I'd say install a sacrificial beam to wall off the boulevard to truck traffic like Storrow Drive is with the bridges, but that would block firetrucks too. Maybe the state could install cameras like on the Pike and automatically fine illegal truck traffic entering the parkways?
Unfortunately its against the
Unfortunately its against the law to fine drivers by using cameras in MA. Drivers have fought hard against these cameras because they'd rather save a few bucks than save many lives.
Wrong
Don't blame drivers or imply that they don't care about safety, when in reality the issue is poor road design. Cameras have proven to be nothing but revenue generation devices, and they often generate more dangerous situations than they solve (especially red light cameras).
https://www.motorists.org/should-i-stay-or-should-i-go/
https://www.motorists.org/issues/speed-cameras/objections/
https://www.motorists.org/issues/red-light-cameras/objections-2/
If there are speeding issues, fix them the right way with proper road design and traffic calming measures.
And you know this thru
And you know this thru research or your inherent hatred of motor vehicles? Do you ride in your friends cars if they offer to take you to the cape or to the beaches in Maine or the mountains in NH? Do you call them fat lazy assholes all the way there if so? Do you call your elderly parent fat pieces of shit for driving into town to see you? Do your parent even talk to you?
You seem nice.
You seem nice.
I don't think so
Remember before E-Z Pass, what happened when somebody drove through a toll booth without paying? They were fined. How did the authorities know who to fine? Cameras.
Distinction
Drivers get fined for moving violations.
Car owners are charged for the toll system.
Without a difference
If speed- or red-light cameras are used for enforcement, they usually get a picture of the plate, not the driver.
So your alleged distinction isn't one, WRT camera enforcement. Also, it's not clear that running a toll booth isn't a moving violation, since the car has to be moving to do it.
How the hell do they even get
down L Street? It's straight up scary for me sometimes when a big pickup or trash truck is coming the other way and my car is relatively small.
Put a trooper on Day Boulevard each day
If Rep. Nick Collins wants a solution, hire a trooper to sit there on overtime for $300 and issue $3000 in fines. A big win for the state and the neighborhoods, plus tickets affect CDL licenses far more than regular motorists so word will spread fast. It still won't solve parking issues on L Street.
Since the merger of the State, MDC, Registry and Capitol Police and the advent of cell-phones, there is very little selective enforcement of these type issues. It's actually hard to get a ticket from the State Police, they are spread so thin.
Most barracks are running one trooper on the desk and three on the road. Between Expressway car accidents, disabled cars, road rage and other situations, not to mention the Southie barracks covers Castle Island, beaches, parks and MWRA, and everyone with a phone calling in constantly, they would have to add a specific trooper for the truck issue on Day Boulevard and it still wouldn't stop truck traffic on L Street. How is L Street Tavern, Murphy's Law and all of the pre-existing businesses supposed to get their deliveries?
Sure that may be a great way
Sure that may be a great way to generate revenue for the state but will it actually fix the problem?
The reason people driving 80 slow down when they see a trooper is they know they are speeding, due to improper signage truckers often do not know they are violating the law.
Signage is the solution. Being a roadside taxman when using poor signage is governmental abuse.
DPM: I agree it won't solve the L Street problem
From the news story, I can't tell what the main issue is. Trucks using Day Boulevard (easily solved) or trucks using L Street, not so easily solved? I'm all for improved signage and was never big on money fines but that would solve Day Boulevard, L Street not so much.
Every bar and corner store requires truck delivery and L Street and the neighborhood has a bunch of such businesses. The news story shows an 18 wheel beer truck double parked beside the fire truck. If the truck took a route other than Day Boulevard, how would that change the parking problem?
It's the BRA's fault
Or whatever they call that agency this week. They allow creating multi unit condos with no parking and commercial units on the ground level with no provisions for parking of delivery trucks. Where do you think these owners and their guests park? Where do you think the delivery trucks park?
Why must deliveries be made with tractor trailers?
.
Re: Why must deliveries be made with tractor trailers?
All Budweiser products in Boston come out of August A. Busch in Medford. They use small tractor trailers and some ten-wheelers. To use a van or something smaller would be impractical and inefficient. All Coors/Miller products come from Burke in Randolph. Most of these small bars and liquor stores only have enough room to store a week (or less) inventory, so deliveries are frequent. Don't forget the same truck is taking back the empty bottles and kegs as well, so it's both a delivery and a pickup. You need a big truck and time.
Most of these L Street and Southie bars existed under one name or another before many of the residents were born. Traffic will always be tight there. I can't imagine it's any worse than the 60s or 70s, before drunk driving was taken seriously and you had thousands of workers at the fish pier, Edison plant and the docks. As someone said above, it's probably a lot to do with more housing density without parking and more people owning cars.
greed
It is illegal to drive an 18 wheeler on L street because it is unsafe to operate such a large vehicle on that street. Impractical is not impossible, it just costs more. People have been drinking beer in South Boston for hundreds of years without tractor trailers. It is bizarre to think that residents safety is less important that convenient beer delivery.
Perhaps start with better
Perhaps start with better signage?
Massholes can't read
Massholes can't read
I don't know if this is where
I don't know if this is where the trucks are coming from, but K-Circle specifically is a mess. There's a truck route sign pointing towards Day Blvd, but the truck route is to turn off immediately onto Mt. Vernon St. The second truck route sign at Mt. Vernon is partially hidden behind a tree and on the other side of the road. Then, the no trucks sign is largely obscured by the big green square sign directing to the Expo Center/Columbia Point.
The no trucks signage around the whole Day Blvd/Old Colony area should be much better.
Typical yuppie truck drivers
Typical yuppie truck drivers ruining southie. Can the residents of South Boston make a list of vehicular laws that have to be followed (like this) and others that don't need to be followed (double parking, parking in crosswalks, putting trash in the street to mark a space). You cant really just decide which laws to follow and then expect other people to have the same set as you. If traffic and parking laws dont need to be followed in Southie, stop whining. If they do, stop breaking the laws yourself.
No complaining frat boys
How do you think all those 30 packs of Bud Light and Sysco buffalo wings get to Southie?
Haha @ Sysco
You forgot to sign in, MC Slim JB.
Should the trucks be on Columbia Road instead?
It's parallel, but narrower and seems like an even worse place for trucks to go.
There is no legitimate reason from either a low clearance
or a geometric standpoint why large trucks shouldn't be able to use Day Boulevard - as evidenced by the fact that trucks are using it daily without incident.
This 'NO TRUCKS' restriction is yet another example of what happens when you let politicians and an agency that wrongly believes that urban arterial roads are parkways play traffic engineer. And it's not like all that freight can be moved by people on bicycles.
it is illegal
The road was not built for vehicles of that size. Do a little research. How many ambulances need to be delayed and bicyclists killed before you agree that the law was made for a reason.
For someone named "Roadman"
You can sure be obtuse when it comes to the requirements for trucking on roads, and the structural damage and construction requirements that are needed to support trucks on roads.
Maybe you should call yourself "road fan" instead?