Let's fix our parking problems
by John Godin, EDC
The topic of parking in Stonington can be viewed differently based on who you ask and where you live. Parking may be irrelevant if you live in a rural or suburban part of Stonington. However, if you live in the commercial districts of Mystic or Pawcatuck, passions can run high. The time of year adds its own challenges as spring, summer, and fall bring many visitors to town that support our businesses, and cultural and entertainment attractions.
Parking in downtown Mystic has caused much consternation among residents as congestion continues to increase and parking “space” remains at a premium for anyone wanting to visit downtown during peak hours. For residents in the area, the fear of driveways being blocked or noise being an issue becomes a reality. For commercial property owners, not enough parking could mean fewer retail visits to their businesses.
The towns of Stonington and Groton realize this dilemma and last year commissioned a joint parking study by John Burke to look at parking in our shared commercial zone on both sides of the draw bridge that connects our communities. Mr. Burke has done similar parking studies in towns with attributes like ours including, Newburyport, MA, Portsmouth, NH, and Bar Harbor, ME.
His firm took traffic counts within the downtown Mystic area to assess car volume at different times during the week. Also, he is working with a liaison committee of residents and government officials from both Stonington and Groton on completing the final report. The final report will include recommendations on how to alleviate the problem. Some alternatives may include, 1.) using the 4th District Voting Hall property to expand parking downtown, 2.) leveraging the lots of community partners such as churches during non-worship or non-fellowship hours, and 3.) looking at the practicality of installing (and subsequent enforcement) of metered parking spaces within downtown. Whatever the analysis, the report will drive engagement within our community as to the best way forward. Stay tuned.