City backs out of back-in parking

It was supposed to be the parking style of the future.

In 1990, the Spokane City Council changed the rules along one block of Cedar Street in downtown to require motorists to back-in to angled street parking.

Businesses along the street argued that bigger cities, like Seattle, had created back-in parking to make pulling out into traffic safer, said Bob Turner, Spokane’s traffic operations engineer.

But while back-in parking still exists in some cities, it hasn’t exactly swept the nation – or even the city. None of the other angled-parking locations in Spokane was ever switched.

And on Tuesday, the City Council voted unanimously to make parking on the block, which includes the milk-bottle building used by the Spokane County Democratic Party, consistent with other parking by requiring motorists to pull into spaces and back out.

“It hasn’t worked out very well,” Turner said. “I believe some people believe it was easier to pull out, but it’s even more difficult to back in.”

Businesses and offices on the east side of the block seem most happy about the change.

Jim Garst, who owns Inland Interiors, said parkers on the east side have to make a U-turn down the street to back in. Some of his customers have been ticketed after unknowingly violating the rule.

“It’s a real fiasco,” he said. “I’ll be really happy about the change, only for my customers’ sake.”

Turner said the city likely will restripe the parking within a few weeks to make it easier to pull in. Until that’s complete and back-in signs removed, motorists still will have to back in.

Violators are given $30 tickets – twice as high as a parking meter violation. That will be the same fine for motorists who continue to back in after the rules change, Turner said.

Some on the block, however, prefer the back-in rules.

Stephen Winterer, the facility manager of First Presbyterian Church at 318 S. Cedar St., said he hasn’t heard complaints from congregants about the policy.

He said he’s OK with the change but believes it’s safer to back in.

“When it is time to leave, it’s much easier to maneuver out because you’re looking forward,” Winterer said.