Free Commuter Parking Along Bridge Street to End After Garage Opens, Other Changes Planned

Parking changes are coming to the area around the Salem train station after the new parking garage opens on Friday, Salem city officials announced on Tuesday.

To start, free parking along Bridge Street, on dirt and grass along the railroad tracks on the north side of the road, will come to an end starting on Monday, Nov. 3. The property is owned by the MBTA and the T will be “installing barricades to restrict parking in this area,” according to Tuesday’s announcement from the city of Salem.

The new MBTA commuter rail station and garage are scheduled to open after 4 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 24. The new garage will prompt city parking enforcement officers to focus on residential neighborhoods near the garage “to ensure that commuters and visitors are not parking in resident-only zones.” Officers will also patrol the Bridge and North street area to make sure vehicles are parked legally and safely.

Other changes will come to parking along North Street after the garage opens. On-street satellite parking along North Street, from the intersection of Commercial Street to Leslie’s Retreat Park, will return to the original restrictions in place before the T garage project started last summer. The restrictions will include 30 minute parking on the west side of North Street, south of Commercial Street, near O’Rourke Brothers Memorials at 73 North St., plus no parking on the east side of North Street, from the intersection with Commercial Street to Leslie’s Retreat Park. All of the changes along North Street, much like Bridge Street, take effect on Monday, Nov. 3.

The Universal Steel parking lot has been free since it opened last year. A new rate of $4 per day has been submitted to the City Council for a vote at its meeting on Oct. 23 and for a vote by the Parking Board at its meeting on Nov. 3. The rate for the lot, at 297 Bridge St., would be in effect Monday-Saturday, starting Nov. 4, pending approval by the City Council and Parking Board.