SAUGUS — The Board of Selectmen voted in favor of establishing a no-parking zone on both sides of Pearce Memorial Drive Tuesday night.
School Committee member Dennis Gould spoke on the matter and asked the Board to establish the zone due to the chokepoint that happens on the street.
“We’ve been looking at this for a couple of years. There’s a chokepoint on Pearce when you come out of school. Both the high school side and middle school side come down to the same chokepoint right at the intersection,” Gould said.
Cars parking on both sides of the street disrupt the continuous flow of traffic.
“There really doesn’t need to be parking there anytime during the day, so putting up the no-parking signs could be all day,” Gould said.
He explained that in 2024, the police department, fire department, and Selectmen had been ready to approve the no-parking zone, but the Committee wanted to wait for the Safeway report.
“They said this change would not affect their recommendations, and they understand that it is a chokepoint,” he said.
Board Vice Chair Anthony Cogliano asked if these were cars waiting to pick up kids, and Gould responded that they were cars waiting, but the cars will stay there since some kids come out later than others.
Saugus Middle High School Principal Dr. Carla Scuzzarella noted that she had no issue with the no-parking zone being put into effect.
“To Dennis’s point, we all know there’s a lot of static traffic around the building, mostly in the afternoon,” she said.
She continued that if the police chief and the Board of Selectmen are on board, then it works for her. However, she did say there were issues with enforcement.
“There can’t possibly be a police officer there every single day, but that’s what happens. People take that chance. I think if you put up the signs it will be a step in a good direction. I just don’t know if that will solve the problem. But I’m happy to have any help we can get there with moving the traffic along,” she said.
Board Chair Debra Panetta noted that with the change, there will need to be some police enforcement.
“This is something the School Committee is coming to us for… We’re trying to help the schools out. If this helps, this is something that we want to take a positive vote on. We just want to make it easier and safer for the school, and for the parents, and of course the children,” she said.
Selectman Jeff Cicolini stated that with both police and fire signing off on it, he would assume that they feel it would be an improvement.
Cogliano asked if there were already signs on the street for no-parking, and Gould said that currently the signs start at Main Street and run up to the first crosswalk from the middle school side.
“This would extend it past that sidewalk to the next sidewalk to the entrance to the middle school parking on the east side,” he said.
The Board unanimously voted in favor of the no-parking zone.
