Mayor Walsh Wants To Increase Parking Fines To Reduce Traffic Problems
BOSTON (CBS) - It seems every Boston mayor in modern history has tried to solve the city's traffic problems. But Mayor Marty Walsh is serious: he's going after people who double park.
Walsh hopes his plan to increase parking fines across the city will reduce congestion and fund new initiatives to improve alternative modes of transportation.
The mayor's office announced Tuesday that they would be making another push in their Go Boston 2030 project, a long-term transportation plan created last year. Funding and a new "transit team" will be created to focus on improving the bus systems by managing bus lanes, bettering traffic signals and roads, increasing pedestrian and bike safe areas, ease congestion, and more.
"It ties up traffic and maybe we can send a message to people who park at hydrants and handicapped spaces," Mayor Walsh said.
The mayor wants to increase the fines for double parking downtown from $30 to $55 and in residential neighborhoods from $55 to $75. He wants the revenue to go towards road improvements.
But the mayor also wants more dedicated bus and bike lanes, to get people out of their cars.
And there are more incentives like the fines. Mayor Walsh wants to increase the fines for meter violations, and if you don't have the proper residential sticker, it'll cost you $60.
