# Unstable Context

Read this file before grepping a city file.

The site is Unstable Context at `https://unstablecontext.com/`. Each city is one Markdown file in the same directory. Boston, Massachusetts is `boston-ma.md`. Its clock is America/New_York, and this copy covers `2026-10-13` through `2026-10-14`. Austin, Texas is `austin-tx.md`. Its clock is America/Chicago, and this copy covers `2026-10-13` through `2026-10-14`.

Lines that start with `#` are instructions and section markers. Data lines do not start with `#`.

Street names use a full suffix and title case. Expand the abbreviation before you search: `ST` to `Street`, `AVE` or `AV` to `Avenue`, `RD` to `Road`, `DR` to `Drive`, `PL` to `Place`, `TER` to `Terrace`, `CIR` to `Circle`, `CT` to `Court`, `LN` to `Lane`, `HWY` to `Highway`, `BLVD` to `Boulevard`, `PKWY` to `Parkway`, `SQ` to `Square`, `ALY` to `Alley`, `WAY` to `Way`, `CR` to `Crescent`, `EXT` to `Extension`, `ROW` to `Row`. A single-letter name stays uppercase, so `E St` is `E Street` and `M St` is `M Street`. A leading direction expands only when another name follows, so `E 3rd St` is `East 3rd Street` and `N Lamar Blvd` is `North Lamar Boulevard`. A direction that is already a word stays a word (`East Broadway`). An interior `St` that means Saint stays `St` (`St Botolph Street`).

Search for the full name, including the space-pipe-space after it:

```bash
grep -F 'M Street |' boston-ma.md
grep -F 'Burnet Road |' austin-tx.md
```

One line per street and district is normal. Read every line the command prints. A missing street means no rule in that file falls in its window. It does not mean parking is allowed.

A Boston street line looks like:

`STREET | DISTRICT | sweep=SIDE from FROM to TO WEEKS WEEKDAY START-END ;; permit=CODE-ID TYPE DATE TIME at ADDRESS`

`sweep=` is present when a sweeping row matches today or tomorrow. `permit=` is present when a street-occupancy permit overlaps today or tomorrow. Weeks are `1st`, `2nd`, `3rd`, `4th`, and `5th`. `year-round` is appended when the City marks the row year-round.

An Austin street line looks like:

`STREET | Austin | permit=work-zone START/END DIRECTION LANES`

Austin sweeping runs Monday through Friday, 06:00-15:00, by zone. This build does not copy zone polygons. The zone calendar has no next service inside the window, so `austin-tx.md` has no `sweep=` lines. Posted signs control.

After the street lines, `# section: lots-and-garages` introduces place lines. Boston place lines start with `lot |` or `garage |` and have an address. `price=unknown` means this build did not copy a price. Austin has no municipal-lot table in this pull, so that section is a note.

These files include rules in force on the window dates. Resident-permit hours and parking meters are omitted. Read the pole for resident rules and look at the curb for meters.

A posted sign controls when it disagrees with the file.

Use a city file when its `window:` line includes the day you are asking about. When the header is older than that city's today, say the daily build has not run. For Boston, look up the street at `https://www.cityofboston.gov/streetoccupancy/search/?streetname=M%20ST`. For Austin, use `https://www.austintexas.gov/streetsweeping` and the roadway work-zone map until the next build.

Do not add personal names or job notes to these files.