City Council Rejects Manager's Parking Zone Plan

In response to public uproar over a proposal that would severely limit parking rights by dividing the city into four zones, the City Council last night unanimously voted not to endorse the plan.

The plan proposed by City Manager Robert W. Healy, would have made it illegal for residents of one zone to park in another.

Residents would have been charged for mandatory zone parking stickers which would restrict parking within the driver's particular zone.

The council's action will effectively block that portion of the manager's parking plan. But the councillors expressed support for the rest of the plan at a previous meeting.

The remainder of the package includes plans for an expanded commuter mobility program, a bicycle and pedestrian program and lobbying the state for tax breaks for business that try to promote alternative modes of transportation.

Councillor William H. Walsh said many of his constituents, especially the elderly, were concerned about their ability to travel in the city under the zone plan. Walsh called these citizens "People living in fear" and added that he had never seen a greater number of phone calls expressing complaint.

"There's not the foggiest chance that the city is going to be divvied up into four zones," said Vice Mayor Edward N. Cyr.

Although most of the residents' concerns were apparently with the plan's strict limitation on parking rights, councillors also said the proposal would harm businesses.

"We must come up with a serious plan that won't put Cambridge at a serious economic disadvantage," said Councillor Francis H. Duehay '55.

Duehay, along with Councillor Sheila T. Russell, said the restriction on parking would deter citizens and visitors from patronizing Cambridge businesses.

The manager's entire package would take the place of the city's parking freeze and bring the city under compliance with the federal Clean Air Act.

Bicycle Week

As part of an ongoing effort to encourage alternative modes of transportation, the City Council endorsed a resolution in support of the Cambridge's Bicycle Safety Week.

Bicycle Safety Week, which will run MAY 9-16, will be kicked off with the First annual Cambridge Bike Fair at the Johnston Athletic Center at MIT.

The fair, sponsored by the Cambridge Bike Fair Association and the Kiwanis Club of Cambridge, is designed to promote bicycle safety awareness in the city. Residents will be able to learn about bicycle traffic laws, including proper signaling techniques and obedience to traffic rules.