Medford High School Graduation A Parking Nightmare For Some

MEDFORD, MA — Medford High School's graduation was held at Tufts University Wednesday, and while it was a time of celebration for students, some attendees found themselves in the middle of a parking nightmare.

In a post on a Facebook group for residents, guests sounded off about their parking woes: ticketing, overcrowding and having to rush to get to their seats.

"Beware Republic Parking is giving out tickets to all the people that came to the Graduation," a poster wrote.

"My parents, who are almost 80, almost missed their granddaughters graduation because it took them 45 minutes to find a spot," another wrote. "They had to walk quite a distance too."

According to information shared by the Medford Public Schools prior to the ceremony, parking was available in the Tufts Parking Garage on Boston Avenue, and there was limited parking in the Alumni Field lot. However, it was not open until about 30 minutes before the ceremony, MPS said.

Handicapped parking was available at the Eliot Pearson School on College Avenue, and guests were asked to refrain from parking on Pearl Street, Stearns Avenue, Stanley Avenue, Frederick Avenue and Windsor Road.

Not everyone was sympathetic to those getting ticketed. One person replied there were a "ton of people parked where they were not suppose [sic] to" and another wrote, "If the cars were parked illegally or over the time limit or residential only I’m not sure what you expect to happen."

Republic Parking, which operates the Park Medford office, did not return a Patch request for comment. Tufts University spokesperson Patrick Collins wrote in an email that the school did not give out tickets and said recent bridge closures due to the Green Line Extension project have contributed to heavy traffic in the College Avenue area at certain times of day.

"The university was happy to once again host Medford High School’s annual graduation ceremony on June 5, which is one of the many ways Tufts gives back to its host communities. In addition to providing access to our facilities for the festivities, the university made free parking available to attendees in its garage and its surface lots across from and around the main venue," Collins wrote. "The university did not issue parking tickets. Traffic in and around the College Avenue area can be heavy at certain times of the day, e.g. during rush hour, and particularly recently due to traffic pattern changes due to Somerville bridge closings related to the extension of the Green Line."