New rule will have Southie residents seeing spots

It seemed like such a simple idea when a few residents suggested it a dozen years ago: Designate parking spots on South Boston's streets for residents only -- Southie parking for Southie cars.

But in a neighborhood that zealously guards its independence and consistently resents the involvement of city government, the resident-parking rule -- set to take effect at 6 p.m. today on most of the eastside -- has evoked strong reactions. Residents are expressing a mix of anger, anticipation, and resignation.

''I'll tell you what I think: It's stupid," said Alfred Carrier, 64, a retired water and sewer commission worker who was outside his house on East Broadway yesterday, waving at the street.

''This is first come, first serve, pal," he said. ''Nobody owns these streets. The people own it, not the government; they pay for the road to be tarred. My taxpayer dollars -- and I'm getting screwed, as usual."

The idea of reserving spots for residents flew in the face of what Carrier called the inalienable right of Bostonians to park in whichever neighborhood they want, regardless of where they live.

''I pay an excise tax, I pay a property tax, and you're telling me I'll get a ticket if I'm not somewhere with a little sticker that says resident of South Boston?" he said.

A few blocks away, Dede Cavanaugh, 40, leaned out her window on O Street and offered another opinion. ''It's about time," she said. ''I can finally get a parking spot when I come home at night. Absolutely. No Connecticut license plates, no Rhode Island, no New Jersey, no New York."

South Boston had been one of the last bastions to have most of its streets -- save for a few near Andrews Square and Fort Point -- free of the resident-parking rule. Dorchester, the North End, Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Allston, Brighton, Charlestown, and the South End have all acquiesced to residents' demands for reserved parking.

But Southie, where lawn chairs reserve parking spots during the long, bitter winter, resisted the change.

Now, flooded with newcomers with multiple vehicles and commuters who park in the neighborhood and take the bus downtown, the neighborhood is joining the resident-parking revolution.

During the past 12 years, residents gathered signatures in support of the restriction and expressed overwhelming support at dozens of community meetings, said Thomas J. Tinlin, the city's acting transportation commissioner, himself a lifelong South Boston resident.

The department, he said, wants to make it easier for residents and rescue workers to navigate the streets and find parking.

In 2002, an 8-year-old girl died in a fire on Bowen Street after firetrucks struggled to squeeze past illegally parked cars.

''This is something the residents have asked for," Tinlin said.

Residents and city officials agree that enforcement of the resident-only restriction will make finding a parking spot easier. But it will also bring increased enforcement for offenses like parking in front of a hydrant, on a street corner, or double-parking. Residents also say the restriction -- from 6 p.m. until 10 a.m., Monday through Friday -- will be a nuisance.

''If I want my daughter to come and visit, she can't visit," said Ed Methelis, 62, a Twomey Court resident, who was out for a stroll yesterday. ''What am I supposed to do? Don't have friends visit? Maybe move?

''What can you do? You can't have anybody for supper, 'cause the thing starts at 6 o'clock, which is a funny time."

A few spaces at the end of most block will be available for visitors. Resident parking stickers are free. They have already been snapped up by the thousands, Tinlin said.

Crews have installed about 200 resident-parking signs on the eastside, as part of what Tinlin calls Phase 1. That includes Farragut Road, L, M, N, O, P, East First, East Second, and East Third streets, and part of East Broadway. By mid-October, he hopes to have the entire neighborhood covered with 3,500 of the red, white, and green placards.

''It's like utopia," said Leo Horne, owner of Healey Square General Store, near the corner of East Broadway and O Street, who was selling newspapers and juice. ''It's a good idea in theory, but it just isn't going to work."

Walking along East Broadway, Mary McLeod, 81, recalled the fateful words she said Councilor James M. Kelly said a decade ago during a community meeting about the program.

''It's like Jimmy said," McLeod said. '' 'It's going to open up a can of worms.' "

Kelly, who represents South Boston, said he now supports the program, however.

''Everyone is hopeful that it will give them more of an opportunity to park close to their home," he said.

But he will be watching closely to see how his constituents respond. ''If everyone is saying we don't want it, then obviously we'll abolish it," Kelly said.