Photo by Becky Polaski Vehicles parked along Washington Street near the cemetery have been causing traffic concerns and the matter was recently discussed by members of city council.

Council members had discussed the matter at their previous meeting and City Manager Dave Greene had requested that Public Works Director Mike Mullaney review the on-street parking situation along the cemetery frontage on Washington Street.

According to a memo from Mullaney that was provided to council members, Mullaney, Street Superintendent Steve Samick, and Police Chief Todd Caltagarone have been discussing this particular area for a number of years. The area is particularly hazardous during the winter months when PennDOT’s plows cannot remove the snow and ice buildup because of the parked vehicles, narrowing the roadway.

In the memo Mullaney also explained that last year members of the St. Marys Police Department went door-to-door asking residents to move their vehicles so PennDOT could plow.

A traffic and engineering study conducted in 1996 indicated that no parking should be permitted in the area and no parking signage was initially put in place but this decision was reversed due to residents’ complaints.

Mullaney proposed that for safety reasons parking be prohibited at all times along that portion of Washington Street.

Mayor Sally Geyer disagreed with Mullaney’s proposal, stating that she has no problem with individuals parking in that area during the summer months because there is no snow to create a problem.

Barbara Nagi, a resident who lives in that section of Washington Street, addressed members of council with regard to how limiting parking would be detrimental to her and her neighbors.

“We have no driveway so the only place we can park is on the street,” Nagi said. “We try to pull over as much as we can onto the cemetery’s land. We’re off the curb. If you don’t allow us to park there where are we going to park?”

She explained that she has no room for a driveway and parking behind many of the buildings is not possible because of the proximity to the railroad tracks.

“I really don’t see [parking along Washington Street] as a big problem. Some people make it a bigger problem than what I see it is,” Geyer said. “It is just a matter of just driving cautiously around that curb, that’s all.”

Councilman Rick Gabler also asked City Solicitor Mark Jacob if there would be any liability to the city if individuals are permitted to continue parking along Washington Street.

“If you maintain a hazardous condition then the city could have liability,” Jacob said.

Jacob noted that he frequently travels on Washington Street and has never seen the area as a hazardous condition.

“Sometimes because of snow or whatever the cars may be further into the roadway than they should be, but that’s not a permanent hazardous condition,” Jacob said.

Jacob added that there was nothing to stop an individual from filing a lawsuit against the city if anything were to happen because of the parked cars.

Councilman Bob Roberts expressed concern about how close individuals were parking to the intersection of Washington Street and Rightmeyer Street.

“That, if nothing else, needs to be looked at and needs to be taken down 100 feet or 150 feet, whatever is recommended, and limited to no parking because on several occasions this winter they’ve been parked out into Rightmeyer Street,” Roberts said.

Council members planned to look into the matter of individuals parking too close to the intersection with Rightmeyer Street.