The Fall River Traffic Board convened on September 17, 2025, addressing various traffic and parking requests. The meeting began with the approval of the August 20, 2025 minutes. The board then approved two curb cut requests for 312 Mohawk Drive and 60 Garside Street, both of which had been reviewed by the Engineer Department with no issues found. A previously tabled request from Fall River Public Schools for a one-way designation for Westall School on June Street was approved after Fire Chief Bacon confirmed it would not affect fire department operations. Several parking-related items were discussed. A request for a one-hour parking spot in front of Elizabeth, Electrology and Laser Hair Removal at 1354 Pleasant Street was approved. Three requests were tabled because the individuals who submitted them were not present: the removal of a three-way stop sign at Florence and Reading Street, a stop sign request for High Street at Locust Street, and a request concerning Bigelow from Robersonson to Hanover. The board also approved a state request to make Quincy Street a one-way heading north from President Avenue to Brown, but removed the proposed restriction on left turns from President Avenue onto Lindsay Street, a decision supported by the city engineer and Fire Chief Bacon. An emergency meeting with abutters for this change is scheduled for October 1st. Four new handicap parking requests were reviewed. Requests for 195 Dover Street, 36 Baker Street, and 559 South Alman Street were all approved. However, a request for 116 Bowler was denied because the applicant had off-street parking available, which is an automatic disqualifier according to board regulations. The meeting concluded with the approval of the rescinding of several handicap parking spots across various streets, including Downing, Maple, Pine, Dery, Dwelli, Fulton, Merchant, Bailey's, and Rock.
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Public Safety
Public / Other
We'll get this cracking. Pursuant to open meeting law, any person may make an audio or video recording of this public meeting or may transmit the meeting through any medium. Attendees are therefore advised that such recordings or transmissions are being made, whether perceived or unpersceived by those present and are deemed acknowledged and permissible. We start off with motion to
0:22accept last month's minutes from August 20th 2025.
0:28Motion to accept. Second.
0:30Any opposed? Seeing none and it's approved. Okay. Is there anybody here that is not on tonight's current agenda or did everyone receive a letter for a specific um reason that they submitted for the traffic board?
0:46Excellent.
0:47We'll go through the curb cuts. We have 312 Mohawk Drive. Engineer Department reviewed this, found no issues.
0:56Is there a motion? Motion second.
1:00Any opposed? Seeing none.
1:04Uh we also have 60 Gar side street.
1:07Again, the engineer department reviewed this application and found no issues.
1:13Motion to accept.
1:16Second.
1:17Any opposed? Seeing none. All set. Okay.
1:20We'll go to the table requests from last month. We have um forward public schools regarding the one way for Westall School, June Street. Uh we had tabled this so that um we can get the fire department um input. Uh see if that was going to disrupt any of their apparatus or anything. Uh Chief Bacon's here. Do you mind just giving us a quick Sure. So the proposed oneways um uh do not we uh we
1:49looked it over and I it does not affect our operations um as far as the way our apparatus would be approaching anything in that area. Um we would be approaching from the high street side anyway. So it would not limit our access. So was there anything else you wanted to add regarding the matter?
2:05No.
2:06Okay.
2:07Anybody here about all the abusers were contacted. Is there anybody here that was uh opposed to this proposed change that would like to speak? Seeing none. Okay. With that, I mean um I have no reason to object this proposal. So, is there a motion on the table?
2:26Motion.
2:29Second.
2:29Second. Any opposed? All set.
2:33Easy. Easy. Thank you.
2:40Uh, Elizabeth, Electrology and Laser Hair Removal, 1354 Pleasant Street.
2:46Hello. You're requesting 1 hour parking in front of the business Monday through Friday, 9:30 to 5:30.
2:53I am.
2:58Uh, we received your letter. Is there anything you want to address the board with real quick regarding the matter?
3:02No, just what was basically on the letter and people just stay there for a week or two at a time. Cars don't get moved and it's not easy for my customers.
3:12You're looking for one spot?
3:13Yes.
3:15Okay. Uh there's plenty of other businesses that have one hour park in there. So Okay.
3:23Is there a second?
3:23Second.
3:24Any opposed? Seeing none, easy enough.
3:27Thank you.
3:32Uh, Florence and Reading Street.
3:36Is there anyone here regarding removal of a three-way stop sign at Florence in Reading?
3:42So, this individual did reach out and said they would not be able to make the meeting. Um, I'm not sure what the board wants to do if they want to just go ahead and table it or if they would like to um have the discussion without them being here.
3:56Choose the table.
3:56Okay.
3:57Table.
3:58There you go. Any opposed? Seeing none.
4:00Tabled.
4:04Request from residents for a stop sign high street at Locust Street. Anyone here put in the request for a stop sign.
4:12High street at Locust.
4:15I'm making it easy tonight.
4:17There a motion to table this. Oh, was this tabled already or is this?
4:21Nope. It's in a request.
4:22Motion to table.
4:25Second. I Any oppose? See you.
4:30Sorry.
4:31Oh, good. Johnny, we're on number four for new requests. Okay.
4:37Uh Bigalow from Robersonson to handover.
4:45This individual also did reach out that they couldn't make the meeting. Uh, same thing. It's up to the board members if you want to have that discussion without the individual being here. um or if you would like to invite the individual to the next meeting. Um they did email some suggestions. Um but it's I leave it up to the board members.
5:05Would you guys like to discuss this one based off of their letter or table this and see if they come to the next meeting?
5:11I think if you want to discuss it, we can do that. It's your article.
5:18Okay.
5:19All right. We'll discuss table.
5:27No.
5:29Oh my table.
5:36You put a motion in the table at home.
5:37The table.
5:38Is there a second?
5:39Second.
5:41Tabled. It is.
5:42All right. Any opposed?
5:43None. Table.
5:47Okay. Uh Quincy Street, um, President A to Brown now. They would like to, the state would like to make this a one-way heading north from President A to Brown. Now, uh, real quick on this, the original proposal, um, has it written that there would be no left turn from President A onto Lindsay Street?
6:14Uh, the city engineer um, disagrees with that. He's all good with making Lindsay Street a oneway north. However, does not want to box it off to no lefthand turn um from President A. Um for delivery reasons, tractor trailers, that's a pretty busy throwway. Uh I would tend to agree. So um my opinion would be we could go ahead and go with the one way. However, we're going to drop the no left and turn onto
6:47Lindsay Street, but um open for suggestions from you guys.
6:54One way heading north from President, correct? All the way to the end to Brano.
6:58To Brown to Brown.
6:59So, just that block.
7:03So, this would So, this was put on as a revised for the agenda. Um, I guess this was a discussion and this has been in discussion with the state for the 79 project. Um, this was based on a 2014 planning study uh to make this a one-way. So, with them now beginning the milling and the paving and the placement of the curbing down on Lindsay Street.
7:24Um, if approved tonight, we'll have to schedule an emergency meeting to contact the abutters uh to attend a meeting. I'm thinking probably the Wednesday, October 1st, so we can contact the just to inform them of the proposed change and also Chief Bacon is here if there is any opposition with the fire department for that discussion.
7:44I guess we should start there. Chief, do you have any uh I'm not opposed to that. If it needs to be open away, that's the way that I would prefer it to be.
7:52Agreed. Yeah. And and again, as far as uh we're concerned from a safety standpoint, our flow of traffic, uh north um for one way would be ideal. Um I agree though to limit the lefthand turn from President A. Uh doesn't really make sense. I think we're still going to have uh vehicles and tractor trailers making that lefthand turn even if we put that there. So it would just be an
8:16enforcement issue as well. uh it doesn't cause any more havoc by allowing those vehicles to make that lefthand turn.
8:25Motion to accept.
8:27Second.
8:28Any opposed?
8:30Okay. You're going to take care of that notification that emergency meeting.
8:34Yep.
8:36Excellent. Moving on to new handicap requests. We have 195 Dover Street.
8:43You can stay right there. You can stay there.
9:06See no issues with this request. Motion to accept.
9:09Second.
9:10Any opposed? Seeing none. All set there.
9:13Give it about 12 weeks and everything will be said and done. Thank you so much.
9:16You got it. Next we have 36 Baker Street. Excellent.
9:53see any wishes of this request item.
9:56Motion to accept.
9:57Second.
9:58Any opposed? Seeing none, you're all set as well, sir. About 12 weeks and it'll be all up.
10:05Thank you.
10:07559 South Alman Street.
10:10Hello
10:37request.
10:41No motion to accept.
10:43Is there a driveway there?
10:44There is. There's a letter in the packet uh from the landlord. No use.
10:49Okay. Second.
10:51Any opposed?
10:53See none. All said there.
10:56Thank you so much.
10:58Uh 116 Bowler, you can stay right there, man. Um couple of questions. I was looking at this packet real quick. Okay. I understand you are the primary caregiver for your husband. Okay. Um I'll just explain real quick. Um as far as the allocation of handicap spots go, um there are a few disqualifiers right off the rip. Okay.
11:24If the person seeking the handicap spot um themsself um doesn't drive, okay, then that person wouldn't get it. If the person has no car, then there's obviously no reason, right? And more importantly, if they do have off- streetet parking, that's an automatic disqualifier as well. There's few exceptions. One of them being like if the driveway is just an extended walkway, you know what I mean? um then
11:53we would go out, we would make a determination by looking at it uh in person. However, it would appear looking at your photos, you have a pretty large driveway. You could put just about any size vehicle in there. Um handrails up.
12:08So, I I I read another size I'm sorry.
12:15I I understand. And this is what a lot of people have for questions when they um get to this point. So the way the city looks at it is you have off- streetet parking. You have a spot dedicated for your car solely, right? So obviously parking is a huge commodity in the city. As you can say, anytime a building goes up, it's always an issue.
12:36Hence the whole reason for the u existence of this board. Um so if you do have that availability, it's just an automatic disqualifier unless there's some crazy extenduating circumstance.
12:48because I I wouldn't be into the doctors and some cars is going to block the the great the gate and you can't go by, you know.
12:57Yeah. If they're blocking the driveway, I mean, then you would have to call the police when we would get it towed forth with. And I mean, I would love to say that uh uh that would never happen, but there's nothing preventing someone from infringing on the handicap spot or blocking that either. And if they were, it would be the same process regardless.
13:16she'd have to call the police and they would come out, tag that vehicle and tow the vehicle. Um, so it would be my recommendation to the board. However, I'm going to open it up to them for a motion that you fall under that automatic disqualifier category. Um, unless there was some other um extenduating circumstance. Okay. So, as far as the board's concerned, uh, you guys know the deal. I'll entertain any
13:37motion regarding this matter.
13:39Motion to deny.
13:41Second.
13:42Seconded by John. All in favor? All right.
13:45All right. Okay. So, unfortunately, ma'am, that's that's where we're at.
13:49Okay. You do have that offshoot parking, so we're not able to grant the handicap file.
13:54Okay. Any questions?
13:56Sorry.
13:58I can try one more time. No.
14:00No. Listen, you can try as many times as you like. If something comes up or something changes, uh, by all means, come back to the board. And, you know, I I I run it very black and white. um as far as the regulations that are set forth by the board, but you never know, you might get somebody else in the chair.
14:19Okay.
14:22Who is this one for?
14:26Uh that's all we have on the agenda. We have uh you guys here from Mohawk Drive.
14:32Mohawk.
14:32That was like one of the first ones.
14:34You guys missed it. It got approved though.
14:37Uh curb removal. Oh, yeah. Yeah, it was approved. You're all set. Yep.
14:42Thank you so much.
14:42Thank you so much.
14:43You're welcome.
14:44Have a nice night.
14:45You too.
14:46All right, I'll run through the recended handicap spots. We have Downing, Maple, Pine Dery Dwelli Fulton Merchant Downing again, Bailey's, and Rock.
14:57Motion to accept these rescended spots.
15:00Motion to accept.
15:01Seconded by Helen. Any oppose? Seeing none.
15:04Excellent. We are done.