Parking problems continue in the city's Fruit Belt as workers from the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus continue the hunt for free parking.
The problems persist despite two parking ramps on the campus. Another larger ramp is in the works. The city proposed a parking permit system favoring residents in a neighborhood with little driveway parking but that was stalled by worker unions.
Council President Darius Pridgen says there is a continuing effort to work things out with the unions.
"If the unions join together and put in more letters of opposition, we're not guaranteed the Assembly either. But, I think by working with the unions and had we even known the unions would have any type of concern last year, we would have done that," Pridgen said.
"This year, we have done everything that we could to meet with them constantly, to work together on a plan that works for the residents of the Fruit Belt."
The Council yesterday approved two-Home Rule messages asking the Legislature to approve the parking permit system. Last year, it passed the Assembly and died in the Senate. One alternative would allow parking on both sides of the community streets to open up spaces for both residents and workers.
