Canton's parking problems

[Baltimatt]

Parking demand outstrips supply.

The Boston Street corridor in Southeast Baltimore has become the latest ground zero for a familiar battle. A long-established neighborhood — Federal Hill, Fells Point and, now, Canton — catches fire with new residents and businesses. New customers, tenants and homeowners soon overwhelm the space — and there's none left for parking.

...

But inadequate parking, especially in a neighborhood with few public transit options, can also spell its demise. City officials and business leaders fear shoppers may become discouraged from visiting Canton and residents may get fed up with finding a needle-in-the-haystack curbside spot each night. It's a problem they don't want to see replicated as they seek to increase the city's population.

The article mentions there are "few public transit options," but doesn't say anything about them. Let's see, the MTA runs the 7, 10, 11, 13, and 30 bus routes through the neighborhood. I've even seen people standing at the bus stop on Boston street in the morning waiting for a bus, so it's not as though Cantonites can't use the existing bus service. But hey, let's extend the Charm City Circulator to the neighborhood so the well-to-do folks don't have to worry about putting money in a farebox.

A big problem is houses wide enough to park one car in front of have more than one vehicle.

[demopublican]

I can't stand it. A friends band was playing 1919 a few weeks ago (more like Fells Point) and it took me 40 minutes to park. No thanks.

[Baltimatt]

I'd just catch the 10.

[demopublican]

I'd just catch the 10.

I'll just see them somewhere else.

[bmorepunk]

Parking's never been good in Canton, at least for the last ten years that I've been going to it.

[johnpolitics]

Park at Safeway and walk.

[Eastside Terp]

A big problem is house wide enough to park one car in front of have more than one vehicle.

right before I moved out in 1997, we grew to 3 cars ......

that last blizzard in 96 was terrible......

so now I have 4 car and with a 2 car garage that only holds 1 car and a boat in the driveway I am not sure I have made any progress ......

anyway, its so bad that sometimes I drive around and around down there with good intentions of stopping in to see a friend or old nieghbors........

[octoburn]

Park at Safeway and walk.

I walk to that Safeway. They have become very active in monitoring and towing away cars.

[Baltimatt]

Octoburn--

Yes, I was wondering how much Safeway liked people using its lot for things other than patronizing the store.

[bmore_ken]

I walk to that Safeway. They have become very active in monitoring and towing away cars.

I've seen too many episodes of Parking Wars to try that. I just don't go to Canton that often

[octoburn]

Canton is a thriving location for tow companies. They get a lot of business just by patrolling our development along Boston Street and especially during warm months. A lot of it is from boaters and their guests and ~of course ~ the bar hoppers.

Having private parking here is gold. I would be upset if we had to park blocks away from home like many of those in the nearby streets have to do. And it is only going to continue to worsen. People never learn and even try to park in alleys.

[bmore_ken]

People never learn and even try to park in alleys.

And then want to curse Baltimore City for getting towed

[octoburn]

Mostly, they curse about all the signs posted in Spanish that say ~

"LOS IMMIGRANTES APARCAR DE FORMA GRATUITA."

[Baltimatt]

Mostly, they curse about all the signs posted in Spanish that say ~

"LOS IMMIGRANTES APARCAR DE FORMA GRATUITA."

Do they really put up signs with that spelling error?

[Sprightly]

Parking demand outstrips supply.



The article mentions there are "few public transit options," but doesn't say anything about them. Let's see, the MTA runs the 7, 10, 11, 13, and 30 bus routes through the neighborhood. I've even seen people standing at the bus stop on Boston street in the morning waiting for a bus, so it's not as though Cantonites can't use the existing bus service. But hey, let's extend the Charm City Circulator to the neighborhood so the well-to-do folks don't have to worry about putting money in a farebox.

A big problem is houses wide enough to park one car in front of have more than one vehicle.

There are more than "well-to-do" people in Canton. Your comment is a bit snotty.

Just driving through Canton to get home is a PIA. Parking is a horrible and when I have visited a restaurant/bar in the area, I often keep my car in the garage in Fell's Point and cab it. The circulator is a good idea to help keep the businesses thriving.

[soulflower]

It's little things like this that keep Baltimore from growing it's population like DC

[bmore_ken]

It's little things like this that keep Baltimore from growing it's population like DC

I don't know about that. Have you seen the parking in Adams Morgan?

[soulflower]

I don't know about that. Have you seen the parking in Adams Morgan?

Yeah but atleast DC has a decent public transportation system. If I recall correctly, the people in Canton were opposed to expanding Baltimore's subway system

[bmore_ken]

Yeah but atleast DC has a decent public transportation system. If I recall correctly, the people in Canton were opposed to expanding Baltimore's subway system

matt mentioned 5 bus lines that run through Canton. How much transportation do you need?

[soulflower]

matt mentioned 5 bus lines that run through Canton. How much transportation do you need?

Buses aren't enough. Most major cities have an adequate subway system.

I think Baltimore has great potential but the city needs to examine the reasons why it's population isn't growing at a time when young people across the nation are re-populating urban areas. Crime is an obvious factor but little things like public transportation and parking matter too.

It looks like there's a large parking garage under construction behind the First Mariner building off Boston St. I'm not sure if that was mentioned in the article