Barring a change of heart at next month's meeting, the council seems poised to pass increases to the town's motor vehicles and traffic ordinance.

The council at its July gathering approved a first read of O-3, Chapter 12- Motor Vehicles and Traffic, Article III Stopping, Standing, and Parking sec. 12-66., which would initiate significant hikes to a series of infractions.

For several parking tickets, the amount violating motorists will pay going forward jumps from $20 to $50.

Those fines are for the following: (1) Overtime parking; (2) Parking in restricted area; (3) Double parking; (4) Parking in fire lane; (5) Parking on sidewalk; (6) Parking to obstruct driveway; (7) Parking within fifteen (15) feet of corner; (8) Parking with left wheels to curb; (9) Parking within eight (8) feet of fire hydrant; (10) Parking in excess of one (1) foot from curb; and, (11) Parking on marked crosswalk or within an intersection.

During the meeting, his peers approved an amendment to section 2 proposed by Councilor Louis Rego to include "posted" no parking locations as well.

Also of note, when the subject was raised about parking on the left side of roads such as Washington Street or other one-ways, it was stated that is legal to do.

Things are expected to get a little more expensive for those residents who don't abide by restrictions during snowstorms each winter. What was a $25 fine for violating a parking ban will be upped to $75.

Also, when an event is required to have a police detail cruiser involved for safety or other law enforcement purposes, the fee will be $40 per hour.

"So what we're doing is basically changing all of the fine structure because it's been cheaper for people to break the law than it is to follow the law," said Council President Joseph DePasquale.

Councilor John Hanley, while expressing his support of the revisions, said he was of the opinion certain fines should be even heftier to serve as a true deterrent.

"I don't have any problem with this. I just think we should have some of them be more expensive," said Hanley. "If you park a foot away from the curb it's not quite as dangerous as parking in a fire lane or parking in an intersection."

To which DePasquale said, "Well, let's start with this and see if it changes. And without it being in an ordinance, the enforcement can't follow."

New crosswalks

At the behest of the State Traffic Commission, approval of two new sidewalks on Market Street was rendered by the council.

Both walks will be in front of busy establishments on Market, including the eponymous Market Street Pub and at Crossroads Pub.

To accommodate the walks, 105 feet of existing parking, or three spaces, will be removed heading west on the road and 75 feet, or approximately one to spaces, will be eliminated heading east.

Another crosswalk

As he did in presenting the Market Street crosswalk matter, DePasquale once again brought up a similar effort to have a designated walkway added at Coomer Avenue and Main Street.

DePasquale reminded his peers they had broached the same topic last year, but it was too late for the State Traffic Commission to consider. A meeting between the saids was scheduled to take place last week to have the walk placed at Coomer sometime soon.

DePasquale explained, if approved by the state, it would require demolition and reconfiguration of the sidewalks at the site, which, unfortunately, were the subject of recent new construction.

Speeding on Coomer

Residents of Coomer Avenue, besides supporting the crosswalk, also contacted members of the council about a seeming increase in speeding on their street as it is being used as a way to avoid the ever-present construction on both Main Street and Metacom Avenue.

"They tell me that there's been an increase in traffic. We don't disagree. We believe, probably, as people that are trying to avoid the construction on Metacom as well as Main. The traffic's going into those neighborhoods," DePasquale explained. "The neighborhoods aren't designed for that amount of traffic. If there's one car parked on one side of the road, it immediately blocks two-lane traffic. We don't really know what to do. I spoke with the police chief. We can put the message board there. But that even impedes traffic."

Warren Police Department Chief Roy Borges, when asked by the council for his thoughts, told members a speed monitoring device was placed on Coomer between June 23-29. Speeds on the 25-mile per hour road were clocked as low as 18 mph to a high of 35, though most were on the lower end of the range.

Councilor Derrik Trombley, who said he's heard similar concerns from residents of Campbell Street, asked if it was feasible to purchase solar-powered speed recognition signs, which have become quite prevalent in municipalities throughout the area.

DePasquale said Town Planning and Economic Development Director Bianca Policastro has already been tasked will attempting to procure some sort of grant money to purchase the devices, which cost $3,500 apiece.

Asked if he had anything to add to the discussion, Town Manager Brian Sullivan, himself a police chief in Lincoln prior to his appointment here, said it's important to use both mechanical and physical means to alert drivers.

"Education is an important thing, and I agree with Councilman Tremblay about the signs, if we could get those, especially if they're portable ones, where you can move them around, where you get complaints, so they're not permanent," Sullivan said. "The other aspect is enforcement, and we'll ask the police department to go out there and increase enforcement, and hopefully that will get the message to the people who are cutting through in that area."

Hanley expressed his view of the situation, saying a vast majority of the additional flows on side streets were due to the construction on the town's two main throughways.

"I think the increased traffic is 90% due to construction, because it is a cut through, but it's really, traffic's moving on Main Street or Metacom Avenue. It's not a quicker route. It takes you longer to take that cut through.. And when we look, it does. Without the construction, I think the increase in traffic will stop, will subside," said Hanley.

DePasquale brought the discussion to an end, saying. "And when you look at the numbers, the majority of the speed is not that high. So we understand the change of the neighborhoods, but the math is showing us the 18 miles an hour, your average speed, so we'll keep an eye on it."

Railroad Avenue parking

The last traffic related item taken up by the council pertained to adding 15-minute parking spaces on Railroad Avenue in an attempt to help customers of the nearby United States Post Office find spots to conduct their brief business there.

The new spots would be located immediately after the handicap parking spaces on Railroad Avenue and be available for use from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. on weekdays, 9 a.m.-noon on Saturdays with no restrictions enforced on Sundays.

DePasquale said he was told by Interim Director of Public Works Mary Hunt the necessary signage could be made in-house.

Trombley wondered if the actual wording, 15-minute parking, could be actually painted directed on the pavement for each spot by using a stencil of some sort. Hunt said the department doesn't currently have that ability, but would look into it.

Hanley said the signage is part of the answer to the situation, but so, too, is enforcement.

"When I came in to park today at town hall, there's vehicles that have been there all day. It's vehicle that have been here, probably since 8 o'clock this morning. It's three-hour parking and no overnight park," said Hanley. "We can make all the signs and do everything we want, but if we don't enforce it no one's going to listen to it."