Traffic Commission
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The Gardner Traffic Commission met on September 29, 2026, to address key municipal traffic control, parking policy revisions, neighborhood safety petitions, and grant-funded infrastructure projects.
The primary focus of the meeting centered on resolving communication and enforcement challenges regarding the city’s winter overnight parking ban following the City Council’s rejection of a proposed hybrid parking ban. Because ordinance changes cannot be enacted for the upcoming winter season, the Commission shifted strategy toward improving public communication mechanisms. Key measures include developing a pre-recorded, dedicated city phone line, improving website accessibility, and coordinating a joint public hearing with the City Council’s Public Safety Committee.
The Commission advanced several local traffic control measures, including recommending permanent parking restrictions at Lovewell and High Streets and modifying a 60-day trial at Cottage and Park Streets to retain a single stop sign on Cottage Street while removing trial signs on Park Street. Neighborhood requests for new stop signs and blinking signalization on Robillard Street, Wasa Street, and an unnamed neighborhood street were declined due to a lack of supporting traffic/accident data, lack of funding, and neighborhood impact concerns.
Winter Parking Ban Policy & Public Communication Strategies: The Traffic Commission had previously submitted a hybrid proposal to adjust the city’s winter parking ban schedule (historically operating November 1 to April 1, 2:00 AM to 6:00 AM). The City Council voted down the proposed hybrid model. Under municipal rules, an exact proposal voted down cannot be resubmitted during the same session unless it is substantially modified.City Council feedback indicated that even a hybrid parking ban negatively impacts lower-income residents and conflicts with city initiatives aimed at increasing downtown housing accessibility. Consequently, the existing winter parking ban ordinance will remain unchanged for the upcoming winter season, and, because the ordinance cannot be amended before winter, the Commission agreed to focus on multi-departmental communication strategies to inform residents and minimize vehicle towing during snow events: Civil Enforcement and IT are investigating the feasibility of establishing a dedicated, pre-recorded City Hall phone number. Residents without internet or Code Red access can call this line to hear up-to-date snow emergency ban timelines. The Commission is working with IT to determine if Code Red can route or manage incoming calls. Other proposals included more prominent website exposure regarding parking during winter weather events, and various signage ideas.
Various Traffic Control, Parking, and Ordinance Recommendations were discussed. Neighborhood Traffic Requests and Dismissals+———–+———————————–+————————————+———————————–+
| Item # | Location | Issue / Request | Commission Action / Status |
+———–+———————————–+————————————+———————————–+
| 26-001 | Sweeney Park | Light pedestrian crosswalk sign | Kept on Agenda (Unfunded) |
| 26-002e | Citywide / Downtown Lots | Winter overnight parking ban policy| Tabled; Focus on Public Comms |
| 26-004 | Allen Street | Top-of-hill sightline & parking | Kept on Agenda (Pending Update) |
| 26-005 | Cottage Street at Park Street | 60-Day Trial Stop Signs | Approved Cottage St Stop Sign; |
| | | | Removed Park St Trial Signs |
| 26-006 | Chestnut Street / Temple | Parking restriction adjustments | Submitted to Public Safety |
| 26-007 | Park Street / Temporary Lot | Designated handicap parking spaces | Submitted to Public Safety |
| 26-008 | Eaton Street | Golf course traffic mirror request | Removed from Agenda (DPW Hand-off)|
| 26-009 | Unnamed Neighborhood Street | Speeding & stop sign request | Removed from Agenda (Unwarranted) |
| 26-010 | Robillard Street & Wasa Street | Speeding & blinking stop sign req. | Kept on Agenda (Monitoring) |
| 26-011 | Lovewell Street at High Street | Sightline restriction / Parking ban| Permanent Ordinance Recommended |
+———–+———————————–+————————————+———————————–+
There’s more information in the infographics below.
