It’s been awhile since parking issues have cropped their ugly head in downtown Jamestown.

Last week, Linnea Carlson, Jamestown Public Market director, asked the City Council for help keeping drivers from parking on Third Street between Cherry and North Main streets so farmers’ market vendors have the space needed to set up. Carlson is asking for permanent signs to direct people not to park in the area.

In our opinion, signs will only do so much.

We have seen the issues with school zone parking. We have seen issues with parking near fire hydrants. We have seen the issues with unauthorized parking in handicapped parking places. We’ve seen countless issues with alternate parking – just ask plow drivers in the winter. There are limits to the effectiveness of signs and the threat of fines and parking tickets.

Mayor Eddie Sundquist said he will have Police Chief Tim Jackson look into the issue. But the best solution may be one no one wants to hear – either physically blocking the parking spaces with sawhorses or having someone physically at the site to stop people from parking on Third Street until vendors arrive.

Clearing streets for city events has been a problem nearly as long as there have been city events. If human behavior hasn’t changed from then to now, expecting new signs to do the trick is unrealistic.