Getting cars off the city's crosswalks

At the intersection of Emerson Street and East Broadway in South Boston, there is a crosswalk. Too often, however, vehicles park and double-park in the crosswalk, creating a danger for those trying to cross Emerson Street on foot.

''Pedestrians, who walk in the crosswalk, have to cross the street in front of or behind the cars," tipster Linda Herlihy said in an e-mail message.

''I, my 9-year-old daughter, and many elderly people have almost gotten hit there," she wrote.

''I never knew a car could park on the crosswalk. Isn't the crosswalk for people to walk on?" asked Herlihy.

Herlihy, who said she lives nearby, added that she has called the Boston Transportation Department several times asking for the cars to be ticketed.

''They say they will send someone down and never do," Herlihy added.

The Boston Transportation Department responds:

The department's parking enforcement officers stepped up their presence at the Emerson Street-East Broadway intersection about a month ago, after receiving a complaint from a resident, a spokeswoman, Tracey Ganiatsos, said in an e-mail message and a follow-up telephone interview.

''We have been doing extra enforcement out there, and will step up enforcement further," Ganiatsos said on Tuesday, a few hours after GlobeWatch called about the problem.

After the call, a department supervisor returned to the area to talk with business owners about keeping the crosswalk unobstructed by delivery vehicles.

Many of the vehicles apparently have been parking in the crosswalks, she said.

''The supervisor advised the businesses that double parking and parking in crosswalks presents a public safety hazard and that, as a result, the Boston Transportation Department will be further increasing parking enforcement at this location," Ganiatsos reported in an e-mail message.

In addition to the Boston Transportation Department's enforcement efforts, she said that the Boston Police Department has cracked down on double-parking at the location.

You can help:

''If residents or drivers have any additional problems at this location, they are urged to call the BTD hot line at 617-635-4BTD, which is 617-635-4283," Ganiatsos said. Complaints can also be sent via the city's website, www.cityofboston.gov, or mailed to the Boston Transportation Department at Room 721, 1 City Hall Plaza, Boston, MA 02201.

WHO'S IN CHARGE?

Tom Tinlin, acting commissioner,
Boston Transportation Department
(617) 635-4680
BTD@ci.boston.ma.us

Double-parking problems in other communities? Here's where to call:

Cambridge Traffic, Parking and Transportation Department
Susan E. Clippinger, director
344 Broadway
Cambridge, MA 02139
617-349-4700
http://www.cambridgema.gov/traffic/

Brookline Police Department
Office of the Parking Clerk
Captain Michael Gropman
350 Washington Street
Brookline, MA 02445
617-730-2230
http://www.brooklinepolice.com

Somerville 311 Constituent Service Line
Sean Murphy, director
City Hall
93 Highland Avenue
Somerville, MA 02143
311 (inside the city limits) or 617-666-3311
311updates@ci.somerville.ma.us
http://www.ci.somerville.ma.us/Division.cfm?orgunit=311

Update: 10 days later, light

The broken streetlight in front of the apartment building at 741 East Sixth St. in South Boston has been fixed. GlobeWatch wrote about the problem on April 2. By April 12th, it was working again.

Is something broken in your neighborhood? E-mail globewatch@globe.com. Follow up on items at www.boston.com/globewatch.