People who live on Quebec Terrace in Silver Spring, Maryland, are frustrated about the lack of parking and are taking matters into their own hands.
On Wednesday, the Montgomery County Police and the Department of Transportation filled three dump trucks with a variety of objects and cones people used to save their parking spots.
This comes after they received complaints from neighbors such as 64-year-old Joan, a resident who lives in that area, but didn’t want their full name used.
“When you come home late you struggle to find parking,” said Joan. “When you move the cone, they block you in.”
🚫Blocking spots on the public street to save parking is not allowed 🚫
Earlier today your @mcpnews 3rd District Traffic Complaint Officers teamed up with @MCDOTNow to respond to community complaints about objects placed on the public right of way to “save” parking spots. This… pic.twitter.com/Eoi6b3stIf
— MCPD 3D Commander (@MCPD3DCommander) September 19, 2024
But Joan says while people saving parking spots is frustrating, she understands because there’s not enough spots available. She says some people illegally park in handicap spaces that she said she needs.
“We asked our landlord if they can get us stickers because one apartment has 10 cars and some apartments have one car,” she said.
Montgomery County’s Department of Transportation says they have been working with the neighborhood for some time to try to help relieve their parking issues.
For a permit parking restriction to be installed on a block, at least two-thirds of the households on that block must sign “in favor” of the restriction.
Following a community meeting, MCDOT said they received sufficient votes in support of implementing a Residential Permit Program in the Quebec Terrace neighborhood.
According to MCDOT, permits were made available for purchase in July, and they began installing signage in August.
MCDOT says in early October, a final letter in English and Spanish will be sent to residents notifying them that parking permits are needed. Warnings will be given throughout most of October, and on Nov. 1, enforcement of the permitting parking will begin.
To make parking fairer, each household will be eligible for a permit. The permit fees are $20 annually.
The department reminds people though, even with the issued parking permits, reserving parking spaces in the right-of-way is illegal.
MCDOT says they also are still looking for additional alternatives to help the neighborhood, as the residential permit parking program is a first step.
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