The Fall River Traffic Board met on June 17, 2026, to review a series of applications for curb cuts, traffic changes, and handicap parking spaces. The board began by approving the minutes from the May 20, 2026 meeting. They then unanimously approved three curb cut applications for Joshua Rodriguez at 840 Rodman Street, Glenn Hathway at 46 Bowen Street, and Timothy Long for 677 Meridian Street, after the engineering department found no issues with any of the requests. Several miscellaneous requests for traffic changes were tabled for further review. These included a request for stop signs at Hope Street and Fountain Street, and Hope Street and Eagle Street; a request to make Field Street a one-way street near Holy Trinity School; and a request to make Oliver Street a one-way street. These items were tabled to allow for studies by the police and fire departments and to notify abutters. The board then addressed handicap parking requests. A previously tabled request for 159 St. Mary Street was approved after receiving necessary documentation. However, requests for 293 Washington Street and 111 June Street were denied because the applicants, who were homeowners, had access to off-street parking via driveways, which is a disqualifying factor under the board's guidelines. The board approved new handicap spaces for residents at 76 Trip Street, 511 Cherry Street, 102 Palmer Street, and 65 Plain Street. Finally, the board approved a motion from the traffic department to rescind eight outdated handicap parking spaces at various locations, including Washington Street, Whipple Street, and Mason Street, because the individuals no longer utilized them. The meeting was then adjourned.
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Public / Other
Good afternoon. Today is Wednesday, June 17th 2026.
0:05Um, pursuant to the open meeting law, any person make an audio or video recording of this public meeting or may transmit the meeting through any medium.
0:15Attendees are therefore advised that such recordings or transmissions are being made whether perceived or unpersceived by those present and are deemed acknowledged or impermissible.
0:29Uh traffic board agenda.
0:32This meeting will be held in Fall River will be held in Fall River City Council hearing room first floor on government center at 4 p.m. This meeting will be open to the public as well as being available for viewing on Comcast channel 18. Website Fall River gov television w.rgtv.
0:53us backlive Facebook wive ww.fas.com backfrtvlive liveream https semicolon backlivestream.com/accounts back12896038.
1:20First up on the agenda is citizen input.
1:25Seeing no citizen input, uh motion to move on to second is approval of minutes from last month, May 20th, 2026 meeting.
1:36Motion to approve.
1:38Second.
1:41Next on the agenda, curb cuts.
1:45Applicant and owner Joshua Rodriguez, 840 Rodman Street, Fall River, Mass.
1:52Location, 840 Rodman Street on the curb cut.
1:58Mhm.
1:58Uh engineering department reviewed the application as well as the location and found no issues. There are no objections to this request for a curb cup in the back.
2:10Present.
2:11Yes.
2:11All right.
2:13Motion to approve.
2:16Second.
2:17Motion approved.
2:19Next location.
2:21You're all set.
2:21Thank you.
2:22No problem. Have a good night.
2:26Location of curbcut for Glenn Hathway at 46 Bowen Street, Fall River, Mass.
2:36Location of curb removal. 46 Bowen Street. Engineering Department reviewed the application as well as the location and found no issues. There are no objections to request for a curb cut per city engineer.
2:49Motion to approve.
2:50Second.
2:51Motion present. Motion approved.
2:57Next curb cut location is for Timothy Long 1343 Newh Hall Street, Fall River, Mass. Location of curb cut is 677 Meridian Street.
3:10Engineering department reviewed the application as well as the location and found no issues. There are no there are no objections to the request for the curb cut per city engineer.
3:20Motion to approve here.
3:24Oh, wait a second. He's present.
3:27Applicant present. Motion approved.
3:29Second approve.
3:34All right.
3:38All right.
3:40Nothing uh on miscellaneous table requests.
3:44Table request.
3:45Miscellaneous request. Uh there's request here for stop sign at Hope Street and Fountain Street and Hope Street at Eagle due to speeding down Hope Street to Broadway.
3:58In attendance, the applicant or the complainant.
4:02A motion to table.
4:03Motion to table.
4:05Motion to table second.
4:09Request to make Field Street a oneway from a oneway from Stafford Road to Lapam Street due to congestion with cars parked on both sides of the street during drop off and pickup at Holy Trinity School.
4:25Motion Nobody present.
4:27Nobody present.
4:28Guys tried that out already.
4:30Say again.
4:32Stephanie, have you checked that out? So because this is a sorry on because this is a request first time we have to contact the abutters in the fire department as well. So we would recommend the tableds.
4:43Second table.
4:44Mhm.
4:44Move to the table.
4:46Second.
4:49If they want to come up, they can come and discuss it. But if you wanted, do you want to come up and discuss it?
4:54I got check it out. Right.
4:55Well, right now it's going to go through fire and so fire department, police department, EMS department along with department of community maintenance, they'll go out, check it out. Police department will do a study on it. Um and we also have to contact all the abutters. So all the abutters will be contacted and in attendance hopefully for the next meeting for the discussion. But if you
5:14would like to come up and just express your concern, you can absolutely do so.
5:18The school is out now, so it's not as busy, but just the church fire engines and ambulance to go down that way.
5:31Work.
5:35So motion to table.
5:37Motion to table. I already have John motion second. Yeah.
5:42Okay. So, you will you will be contacted for the next month's meeting. Okay.
5:46Thank you.
5:49All right. Request to make Oliver Street a oneway from Broadway to South Beach due to the street being narrow.
5:57Complainant in attendance.
6:02Motion to table.
6:02Motion table.
6:03Motion to table.
6:08All right, ready to move on to handicap spaces. All right, handicap space table requests. First request uh from resident at 159 St. Mary Street for handicap parking space.
6:26I got I got So this request uh was tabled last month. Uh we were just awaiting a letter from the property owner just informing the board that the tenant did not have access to the driveway which we have received. It's attached to the application.
6:45I know as a department when we went out we found no no reason not to approve that.
6:52Speaking to the officer that went out there.
7:02She has that document.
7:03Correct. Sorry is right.
7:06Okay. Motion to approve.
7:08Second.
7:12We were just waiting for So that's So you're all set. It'll take about 12 weeks. Uh you'll see maintenance go out there. They're going to do some measurements. It still needs to go to ordinance and council. Um but once it we get full approval, the signage will go up.
7:29Thank you. You're welcome.
7:35All right. Request for handicap parking spaces. Uh in request for resident of 293 Washington Street for handicap parking space.
7:47Applicant does have applicant does drive and has a valid placard and registration given. Applicant is a homeowner. There is a driveway with a lot in the back.
7:57Homeowner states the driveway has a steep has to has too steep of a hill and unsafe applicant in mind.
8:08Sorry.
8:08Yes. Um if I believe you were at my house yesterday.
8:13Yes.
8:14I don't know if you noticed when you walked down the the driveway. It's very steep and it's very unsteady. So it's like not the the ground is definitely not steady. the back there is parking but before I started I moved back into that home in the first floor I had leases already with the tenants they were occupied but since my father passed uh in 2024 I moved in with my mom so I
8:39can provide her care um so I'm her personal care assistant herself I have uh neuropathy severe neuropathy in my feet which I can't feel anything from my shins down to my feet so I'm very like prone to like falling and I last year during the winter time was horrible cuz I couldn't find a parking spot. Somebody parked in the handicap like in the front where it was before and I had to park in
9:04the back. Um and when I was trying to walk up I did fall even though how much salt I put not me my tenants I had my tenants cuz they know that I can't physically do it myself but they've been very helpful to put the the salt out there. They've been able to like uh shovel. with me going back there and my mother myself like her she's an elderly she's got multiple like uh medical
9:27conditions which is carformation which is an imbalance that she can't she tips over she loses balance very easily she has severe asthma she had a hard time just from the front door to get to the car so imagine if she had to go to the back um so I'm really having a hard time uh and the last couple of years I don't know I've had no issues finding a parking spot in front. I don't know
9:52what's happened in the last year or so, but there's between right now, if you look right now, between the hours of 2:00 until the next day in the morning, there it's completely full. And one of my tenants is actually parked two blocks away because they can't find any parking spot. I'm glad people are working. So, that makes a sign that people are not home, so they're working, but at the
10:14same time, I can't find any parking spot when I get home from work. this uh this board has fundamental guidelines and one of the fundamental guidelines that automatically disqualifies you for that approval or to go any further is the fact that you have access to a driveway at your residence, especially you being the homeowner. Yeah.
10:36So, just with that baseline guideline that we start and build off of when we when we when we investigate these, that would disqualify you for an approval for a handicap spot.
10:47Even if the the driveway is very steep and it's very unsafe, especially during the winter time. Uh I mean, it's your driveway and I was in your driveway yesterday and I agree with you. It's very steep. It's very rut.
11:02It's very pitted. It's But it's also poorly made. But it's your driveway that you have access to, that you can control, that you can level out, that you can change.
11:14And the people who come to this board don't have that ability to make to those options. And that's why we created that as a baseline to start from.
11:26Motion to deny.
11:28Second.
11:30Thank you. You welcome.
11:31Thank sorry.
11:39Next is a request from resident of 111 June Street for handicap parking space.
11:48Applicant does have a does drive and has a valid placard and registration given.
11:53Applicant is a homeowner there. There is a driveway with a large lot in back.
11:59Homeowner states distance from assigned spot to front door is too far and cannot safely navigate the incline.
12:07111 June Street applicant is when you say applicant is you're the homeowner. You own this house.
12:18I own the it's a condo complex.
12:21Okay.
12:22Yes. The my spot is not only behind it's furthest in the back.
12:27I was even there. I was there yesterday.
12:28You were there?
12:29Yeah, I was there yesterday.
12:31Um, my Do I throw my opinion out?
12:34Of course.
12:35Um, the first discrepancy I saw with this was it says that there the lot has an incline. Where do I put my note? Um, the incline in in the driveway. Um, that incline in that driveway is either borderline maybe a 2% grade. The DOT doesn't even start classifying a steep incline, I think, until we get to the sevens or eights.
12:59Hard for me to walk at all.
13:01That I understand. But the next thing that I found while I was in your driveway in that driveway yesterday is the width. There could be spots created along that fence line. And there's plenty of room that there could be something negotiated or figured out through your tenant association or condo association to create an opportunity for you there.
13:22Um, just given what I seen yesterday, I feel like if people get together or however you everybody communicates in that building, there could be something figured out. Okay, June Street is already an incredible street difficulty for parking and which I understand your your issue there, but um uh that's my opinion of this request.
13:49Thank you.
13:50Sorry.
13:57All right. Request from resident of 76 Trip Street for handicap space.
14:01Applicant does drive and has a valid placard and registration given. Applicant is a tenant. Letter from homeowner. Tenant does not have access to driveway.
14:14Uh resident of 76 Street.
14:17Hi.
14:17Hi.
14:19Uh I'm not sure.
14:20Hi.
14:22Um I there right now there is nothing that the police department finds a reason to say that there a reason to deny this application.
14:30Did you just recently move?
14:32Did you just recently move?
14:34Yes.
14:35Okay. Have you changed your address with the registry of motor vehicles?
14:47Yeah. 76 trip is extremely faded on the license.
14:52Just have a good copy.
14:59Doesn't make a good copy, does it?
15:01No, it does not.
15:11Motion. Motion approve.
15:12Motion.
15:13Motion to approve.
15:15Second.
15:16Approve.
15:17Approve.
15:17Thank you. Y so you're all set as we explained to the previous 10 um previous as we explained to the previous applicant that was approved. It'll take about 12 weeks.
15:28Okay.
15:28Thank you very much.
15:29You're welcome.
15:30Have a great day.
15:31Good day.
15:31You too. Have a good night.
15:32Thank you.
15:34Request from resident of 511 Cherry Street for handicap space. Applicant.
15:40There we go.
15:42Um applicant does drive and has a valid placard and registration given. The applicant is a tenant. Letter from landlord does not have access to driveway. Police department finds no issues with this applicant.
15:57Motion to approve. Second.
16:00Thank you so much.
16:01So, you're all set. Okay.
16:02I'll take my ride out.
16:05Thank you.
16:06Have a good night.
16:07Um request from resident of 102 Palmer Street.
16:12Uh applicant present. Applicant does drive and has a valid placard and registration given. Applicant is a tenant. Letter from landlord.
16:22Letter from homeowner.
16:24Tenant does not access does not have access to driveway.
16:30Uh police department finds some issues with this.
16:33Motion to approve.
16:35Second. Second. Approved.
16:38Thank you very much.
16:39Thank you. Request from resident at 65 Plain Street for handicap space. Applicant does drive.
16:52It's for my grandmother.
16:53It's for your grandmother. Okay.
16:55Applicant does drive and has a valid placard and registration given.
17:00Applicant is a tenant. Letter from home homeowner. Tenant does not have access to driveway.
17:08Police department sees no issues with this.
17:10Motion approved.
17:12Approved.
17:16That's the I believe that would be 511 Cherry Street.
17:22That's where it was.
17:22Thank you so much.
17:23Thank you.
17:26All right. Um rescended handicap spots.
17:31Yeah.
17:32All right. Request from traffic department to have the following handicap spaces rescended due to individuals no longer utilizing the space because they have either moved or no longer drive or have passed away.
17:45First address, Washington Street, October 25th, 2007.
17:49Whipple Street, August 19th, 2010. Mason Street, October 28th, 2024. Hunter Street, April 30th, 2025.
18:00Third Street, January 30th, 2012. South Beach Street, July 13, 2021, South Beacon Street. Just that backwards but um October 8th, 2020, Pine Street, September 6th, 2018. Motion to approve resend.
18:22Motion to approve.
18:24Second.
18:25Motion to adjurnn.
18:26Motion to adjurnn.
18:29Do I have a second on the agenda?
18:30Sister second on the agenda.
18:33Second on the agenda officer. See it?