Parking

Library Parking Update

For more than ten years the Library has been a victim of its own success.  During this time Milton residents have flocked to the Library to use its collections and services, and to attend programs for all ages.  The more than 132,000 annual visitors have put stress on our current parking lot, and have limited expanding programs and meeting space to meet demand.  The Library has 58 spaces today.  These spaces are regularly maxed out and there is a need for additional spaces to meet current and future demand.  The Library offers over 800 programs onsite, as well as at institutions throughout the Town.  There is demand for more programs, especially for children.  In addition, with the decline in public meeting spaces, there is a growing demand for use of Library meeting rooms.  Both of these demands create an additional strain on the parking lot.

The Library Trustees have had conversations about parking for ten plus years, but have focused on an expansion project over the past four years.  Prior to the current conversation, the Library worked with the Town to add parking spaces on Canton Avenue, and created a turn around in the current lot to limit circulation back onto Canton Avenue.  These projects helped, but did not solve the problem.

For the past four years, the Library Trustees have worked with the Master Plan Implementation Committee and the Select Board to discuss parking needs and how they fit into the overall needs of the Town Center.  In addition to attending public meetings of both of these boards, the Library Trustees have hosted public input and information forums at the Library, which were supplemented by community surveys.

It is important to note that there is currently no specific proposal for Library parking.  We have worked over the past three years to identify a proposed location, but there is not a proposed project.  The location on Canton Avenue was arrived at after reviewing many other potential sites (Reedsdale Road, Garage on current lot, Town Hall area) which were eliminated due to prohibitions involving wetland area, safety, size.

Again, there is not a current parking lot proposal.  After meeting with the Select Board, the Library Trustees were tasked with finding a parking solution that could bring revenue to the town, provide a multi-purpose benefit, and alleviate some of the capital cost to the Town.  The Library Trustees are now working with a consultant to create a RFP that will address the Library’s needs, reflect community input and Town priorities to shape the project requirements.

This RFP will help identify if there are private partners for the Town to work with on a parking solution.  Recently, the Library hosted a public forum which provided constructive and positive feedback that will help shape the priorities in the RFP.  The RFP will also be informed by studies undertaken by the Library, including a traffic study and forester survey.

The Library Trustees will continue to collaborate with groups and committees in Town during this process.  The goal is to provide a draft RFP for review by the Select Board later this year.

Parking Forum – March 2026

The Milton Public Library Trustees are holding an open forum to keep people informed on the progress of the library parking project. The Library / Town Center Parking Task Force will present the work that has been done to date and outline the next steps for 2026.  

This project originated because Library parking does not meet the current demand for spaces.  The Task Force has reviewed potential plans for expanded parking, and will present this research.

Please join us at the Milton Public Library on Tuesday, March 3rd at 6:30 pm in the Keys Community Room.

If you have questions or concerns you can contact Will Adamczyk, Library Director wadamczyk@milton.ocln.org or Kristine Hodlin, Library Trustee  khodlin@miltonma.gov.

 

Resources:

This page captures documents, videos, and other material related to the Library parking conversation.