Parking Compromise

Cambridge Police have made good their threats to tow away cars parked overnight on city streets. For three weeks, owners of a few favored garages have been able to contemplate upwards of $100 a week in towing fees pried from unhappy students. At the same time, University police have been distributing tickets and fines with their usual consistency; so student drivers have been forced to shuttle their vehicles from one spot to another, and have usually would up with some sort of a summons for their troubles.

The University has made no move to ease the problem by allowing parking on its property--more specifically, in the Eliot-Winthrop-Kirkland triangle. But two steps can help a portion of the now harried driving population: removal of the chain across the entrance to the triangle and the opening of at least one side of the House driveway for all-night parking.

The first item--the chain which closes the street from 11 p.m. until early morning--is a hazard in itself; for fire engines and ambulances would have as much trouble bypassing it as private vehicles do. The other measure would not seriously hamper fire engines or snow clearance, for an average of 20 cars are in the area during the day when owners are certainly not within reach for hasty removal.

Beyond these two items, drivers must look to the city for action. Why the big triangle above the Square and the wide intersection below Claverly cannot be opened for parking remains a mystery which even fire safety officials cannot clear up. These gentlemen, who apparently feel that apparatus can get through the narrow, always crowded streets of the Square, could not reasonably object to parking in these areas which would not block the thoroughfare in any way.

The Student Council, which now has on its files a 200-signature petition requesting action on the parking problem, would do well to go down to City Hall and talk to traffic officials there, in addition to working for University assistance. Neither Cambridge nor Harvard can clean the matter up by itself; but mutual concessions may give drivers an even chance.