Fireworks Parking

Looks like parking is more restrictive this year. Parking is not allowed on any of the hill streets. This requires people to walk up the hill to get back to their cars. I can see the need for restricting parking on one side of the hill streets for emergency vehicle but requiring people to walk up the hill in this heat wave --- is it necessary?

Formerlyjerseyjack said:
Looks like parking is more restrictive this year. Parking is not allowed on any of the hill streets. This requires people to walk up the hill to get back to their cars. I can see the need for restricting parking on one side of the hill streets for emergency vehicle but requiring people to walk up the hill in this heat wave --- is it necessary?

 The hill streets usually ended up getting closed off for the throngs of walkers after the fireworks. However, the cars that parked there earlier ended up getting stuck in the pedestrian mess, and trying to find a way out of the semi-closed streets to get to Prospect/Valley. I would always see pedestrians close to getting hit on the hills, and cars doing crazy turn-around attempts. 

It seems this year they decided to close the hills earlier to parking to prevent having the pedestrians and cars battling for space on the street after the fireworks (since you can't fit all those people on just the sidewalks). An earlier closing does seem safer. Temps will only be in the high 70's after 9pm.

I saw cars parked on Crescent earlier in the day (one side of the street parking), including a car parked across the crosswalk at the bottom of the street (near Valley).  In addition to restricted parking, there is no entrance to the fireworks on Oakview this year.  Valley is being closed off between Tuscan and Parker from 7 pm until after the fireworks.  Coming from your side of town, access is either at Park Road or the Crescent.  There is currently parking available in front of my house (up the hill) but I don't know how long that will be the case since those spaces fill up quickly.

Is it possible to park in the CHS lots off of Parker?   Its a flat walk on the path along the tracks to Dunnell and the park.

EBennett said:
Is it possible to park in the CHS lots off of Parker?   Its a flat walk on the path along the tracks to Dunnell and the park.

 That is where we usually parked

I love this aspect of it. We pride ourselves on being a walking town....so unless there are circumstances (injury, elderly, infant, bunion surgery, broken leg, illness, etc.), walking is a privilege, in my opinion.  for those who truly need to drive, I wish it could be reserved for residents only. I'm not saying that to be a snob....just sayin' that if you need the extra help ad you're paying these taxes, the street parking should be reserved for YOU. 

The very limited street parking by Memorial Park was reserved for those with handicapped plates or hang tags. Golf carts were available to transport those unable to walk within the park from one activity to another.  All others were encouraged to walk to and from the event, if possible.  Able bodied Maplewood residents who chose to drive had the advantage of knowing which streets a short distance from the park offered the best parking options.  Since this event is not run by the town, I don't see how parking could be restricted to town residents, even if such enforcement were possible, which it is not.