City Council Approves Amendments to Traffic, Parking Regulations

FRAMINGHAM - Amendments to Framingham’s Traffic, Parking, and Transportation regulations were approved by the City Council during their meeting at the Memorial Building on Tuesday.

The series of changes were drafted by the Framingham Traffic Commission, which has been working on the new document since the fall of 2021. The regulations were last altered in 1988.

One of the most notable changes made by the Traffic Commission was making the commercial vehicle parking ban apply to any vehicle with a commercial license plate, as opposed to vehicles with a capacity of one ton or more. Members of the Traffic Commission believe that even if the new rule applies to more vehicles, it will be easier for all parties to understand.

District 3 City Councilor Adam Steiner concurred with that sentiment.

“Just to take that out of the equation so if it has a commercial plate it has to follow these regulations, I think will be helpful for our clarity in being able to enforce it, but also for the commercial vehicle owner,” Steiner said during Tuesday’s meeting.

“You can’t empty the truck so it’s light and then call it a day; you have to actually do the right thing.”

Other regulation changes include a total prohibition of commercial parking during specified times—instead of permitting parking in those areas for an hour—and an alteration of the prohibited commercial parking times. Those hours are now 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. the following day between Mondays and Saturdays, with the all-day ban on Sundays still applying. That represents less time compared to the prior rule, which banned parking from 12:01 to 8 a.m. any day in addition to the Sunday restriction.

A new ban on parking within seven feet of a residential driveway was also adopted. Chief Public Works Engineer for the city and Vice Chair of the Traffic Commission Bill Sedewitz explained that feedback from residents as well as the Framingham Police Department informed that decision.

“We think that’s a good change,” Sedewitz explained, “but again: how dramatic that proves to be, whether there’s a lot of people who are doing that, whether the enforcement is significantly different, I think only time will tell.”

The City Council approved the revisions, as they’re now set to go into effect in September.

District 2 City Councilor Brandon Ward was joined by Leslie White-Harvey of District 8 in suggesting educational efforts along with a grace period to make sure people comprehend the changes before fines are given out. Sedewitz added that the Traffic Commission will be looking to revisit the new rules a few months following their implementation.