Officials say they’re seeing frequent double-parking in front of the Post Office’s hastily relocated Main Street space, especially in the afternoon.
90 Main St. location of the New Canaan Post Office. Credit: Michael Dinan
The problem has emerged since a loading zone in front of 90 Main St. earlier this month was modified to allow three 15-minute spaces—a change that was itself designed to accommodate customers of the Post Office. (From 7 to 11 a.m., they coincide with the loading zone that continues to serve businesses along that stretch.)
Karen Miller, supervisor of the New Canaan Parking Bureau, said the morning has been OK but that officials are seeing “a little more shenanigans in the afternoon.”
“We are giving a lot of double-parking tickets,” she said at Thursday’s meeting of the Parking Commission, held at Lapham Community Center.
Town officials and business leaders have leveled strong criticism at the Post Office, saying it vacated a longtime Pine Street location (there’s a Mrs. Green’s Natural Market going in there) with no real plan for relocation. The Main Street location is a clear parking and traffic problem.
Parking Commission Chair Keith Richey said he had canvassed nearby business owners, who were “violently against” the change that created three 15-minute spots to share with the loading zone.
Post Office officials say this mobile truck for retail services is a temporary situation, and that services will be centralized at 90 Main St. Credit: Michael Dinan
Right now, the Post Office is operating partly out of a mobile truck on Pine Street—for retail services—while providing PO box services out of Main Street. Post office officials say all services soon will operate out of 90 Main, which they have described as “temporary” without providing a detailed timetable.
Though it would re-centralize Post Office operations, shifting all services to 90 Main St. also is expected to exacerbate the already difficult parking and traffic problems there.
“My concern is whether when the other part of the operations moves over there [90 Main St.] too, that will bring double the traffic,” Miller said.