Thursday, February 21, 2008

Westborough Station Parking Lot Woes

There was an article in today's Worcester Telegram & Gazette about some recent vandalism. Nine parked cars were vandalized at the Smith Parkway MBTA lot.
More than 400 commuters pay $2 per day to park at the train station; many ride the train to their offices in downtown Boston. The parking lot, which includes a main lot visible from the road and a side addition surrounded by trees, is owned by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, which oversees the commuter train system.

Chief Gordon said the parking lot falls under MBTA Transit Police jurisdiction, but they are rarely seen patrolling the lot.

So the MBTA contracts with the MBCR to run the commuter rail lines. But the T runs the parking lots? This is just really whacked.

It is a shame that the T doesn't do more to ensure that the parking lots are safe places to park. I know that I've been charged a "parking fee" after I paid my $2 because sometimes you accidentally place your parking fee into the wrong slot. Those boxes we have to use to pay our parking fees are a bit antiquated. The T is around to "double dip" on parking fees, but they can't ensure that our cars will be safe from vandals.

The Smith Parkway lot is an overfill lot.

One of the vandalized cars belonged to a Shrewsbury resident. He was quoted with the following:
“My expectation is just to have my car be in the same condition I left it in the morning,” he said.
I think we all have the same expectations.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I park at Westborough, and a few weeks ago I received two envelopes in one week even though I'm sure I paid the two bucks in the right slot, as mentioned in an earlier post.

Hasn't happened since, though...

Barbara826457@gmail.com

Train Rider said...

Anonymous,

Thanks for sharing your experiences parking at the Westborough MBTA station lot.

Train Stopping readers - please contact Anonymous if you are finding that you are being charged multiple times for parking on days that you've already paid.

Thanks.

Train Rider

Anonymous said...

Hi , I am not writing any thing related to the above conversation just wanted to know if any one does carpool from westborough to westborough station? if yes could you mail me with the info at dimplesinghsoin@hotmail.com