Could Downtown New Bedford Offer Free Street Parking Year-Round?

I had a 10 a.m. meeting on Union Street in downtown New Bedford Friday morning. It was scheduled for immediately after my show on Fun 107, so I was a little nervous when I realized that I didn't have any coins with me.

I had used the parking meter app before, but that was a few years ago, and I know that the app has changed. I didn't have time to mess around. I asked a few coworkers if they had any quarters, but no one did. No one carries cash anymore.

Thankfully, I didn't get caught at the New Bedford-Fairhaven Bridge, but I did hit every red light known to man between Fairhaven and New Bedford on Route 6. I was meeting at a law office, and by the time I arrived, I was thrilled to see that there was an open space right in front of the entrance.

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My lucky day.

It got even luckier when I realized that I wouldn't have to worry about feeding quarters into the meters because the mayor's office had granted a reprieve for the holidays.

I was so psyched. It was such a relief to not have to either scramble for quarters or worry about a parking ticket the entire time I was visiting the law office. It was so nice. Ironically, I later realized that the parking waiver didn't even apply to downtown street parking, so I guess I was fortunate that I didn't get a ticket.

It got me thinking. At the risk of sounding ungrateful for the nice perk the city offers over the holidays, I just wonder...

I understand that the idea of parking meters is to prevent people from gobbling up all of the curbside spots in the city, but if it works during the holidays why wouldn't it work all year-round? It's a sincere question, not a snarky one.

And I know it sounds like the classic case of "If you give a pig a pancake, he'll want some syrup to go with it..."

Some will suggest using the parking garages, but those aren't terribly convenient if you are just looking to get in and out to buy lunch at Destination Soups.

I would venture into downtown New Bedford more if I didn't have to worry about feeding meters. Wouldn't you?

How much city revenue would be lost if we ripped out the parking meters?

Hilarious Google Reviews of the New Bedford-Fairhaven Bridge

We've all been there. You think you've made it with a couple of minutes to spare, only to get caught at the red light as the bridge closes. Some of us turn around. Others wait. What most of us don't do, however, is take our anger to the internet — but apparently, several people have, and the results are both hilarious and relatable.

With an average rating of two stars on Google, our love-to-hate-it SouthCoast landmark proves that it's at least slow enough for those stuck waiting to grab their phones and pour out their feelings online. From glowing to glowering, here's what people have to say about the New Bedford-Fairhaven bridge.

The SouthCoast's Biggest Driving Pet Peeves

What annoys SouthCoast drivers the most? We asked SouthCoast residents to tell us their biggest driving pet peeves, and we could not agree more. Take notes, Massachusetts drivers!