The Traffic Council met on Thursday, June 11. See the report and meeting video. All items can be appealed through the close of business on July 1, 2026.
Approved
- Parking restriction on Cynthia Road — 5-0. Prohibits parking on the west side of Cynthia Road from Greenwood Street to a point 90 feet southerly, all days, all times, to allow bus access onto the road.
- Extended parking restriction on Suffolk Road — 5-0 (approved as amended). Extends and revises the no-parking restriction on the north side of Suffolk Road, adds two-hour parking limits on the south side, and prohibits parking at all times on a short stretch of the north side near Kingsbury Road. The “item is only intended to extend the same no parking restriction except Sundays and Holidays further west along the north side of Suffolk Road, approximately 300-350 feet to the Church of the Redeemer Driveway.” Representatives from the Church and Chestnut Hill School supported the item.
- Parking restriction on the north side of Otis Street — 5-0. Prohibits parking on the north side of Otis Street from Walnut Street to Walden Street, at all times, to improve traffic flow and safety.
- Parking change on Lowell Avenue — 5-0. Changes the east side of Lowell Avenue between Elm Road and Austin Street from a two-hour limit to resident-permit-only parking, 8 AM–4 PM, school days, to reduce number of parked vehicles and improve traffic safety and flow. One resident spoke against the item and in favor of no parking instead.
Held
- Parking Regulations on Highland Avenue and Austin Street Municipal Lot — 5-0. ‘Held for a long-term trial of the following: Change the parking regulations on the north side of Highland Avenue from this: “(4) Senior Citizen’s Parking Sticker or Newtonville permit parking only, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., except Sundays and Holidays, from a point 150 feet west of Philip Bram Way to Lowell Avenue, north side.” to this: “(4) Newtonville permit parking only, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., except Sundays and Holidays, from a point 150 feet west of Philip Bram Way to Lowell Avenue, north side.” Also, change the references in the Traffic and Parking Regulations from this: “Senior Citizen’s Parking Sticker” to this: “Older Adult Parking Sticker”. Also, change Sec. TPR-205. Newtonville Neighborhood Parking District, section (c), from this: “Highland Avenue (Philip Bram Way to Gray Birch Terrace)” to this: “Highland Avenue (From a point 150 feet west of Philip Bram Way to Gray Birch Terrace)”.
No Action Necessary
- TIGER permit parking in the Austin Street Municipal Lot — 5-0. Ends the trial that allowed Newton North High School TIGER permit holders to park without payment in the Austin Street lot on school days. Vehicles in the Austin Street Municipal Lot must now pay during enforcement hours. TIGER permits remain valid in designated zones on Hull Street and Lowell Avenue. The Austin Street parking lot has seen increased use since the opening of the Cooper Center.
Denied
- Accessible parking space at 17-19 Beech Street — 3-2 (Member Fischman and Councilor Lucas voted for the item). The home has a garage, driveway, and an existing accessible space in front of the property; the applicant did not attend the meeting. Newton’s Commission on Disability supported the item.
Voting Members Present: Captain Devine (Police), Mitch Fischman (Resident Member), David
Koses (DPW), Councilor Lucas, and Geoffrey Nettleton (DPW)
Also Present: Councilors Baker, Farrell, and Silber
City Staff: John Rice, Chief of Community Services, Mignonne Murray, Director of Older Adult
Services, Evan Sooper, Parking Manager, and Drew Willison, City Clerk.