Back-in parking a source of unrest among merchants, customers

MOSES LAKE — Months after it became part of the city's landscape, the back-in parking at Dogwood Street has become a sore spot of sorts with many of the street's businesses and their customers.

Stretching from Broadway Avenue to Fourth Avenue, the back-in parking on Dogwood requires that motorists park at an angle, not parallel, when parking at that street. Furthermore, they have to back into the spot, going backwards and to the right when parking.

These maneuvers in traffic, plus the presence of a bike path between the roadway and the parking spots have found dissimilar reception among those who transit or work on or near Dogwood Street.

"It sucks," said Mary Lou Cassiano, a volunteer at the Humane Society's Calico Cat who has been living in the city for five decades. "The other day I parked there with my pickup just for the hell of it. Have you tried backing in a pickup truck (there)? There are kids walking, people driving; it totally sucks."

Councilman Jon Lane, who as a member of city government has had a first-row seat to the implementation of the back-in parking, is also an assistant principal at Frontier Middle School, located on the corner of Third Avenue and Dogwood. Lane said that while heading in may be easier, backing in is safer.

"I found it difficult, but I got used to it," he said.

Lane, who has also lived in the city since the 1950s, is decidedly in the minority when it comes to his Dogwood neighbors.

Lydia Guerrero works at a beauty salon near the corner of Third Avenue and Dogwood. She back-in parks her vehicle every day and hates every nerve-rracking minute of it.

"I never heard of anything so asinine," she said. "So many times I almost got into an accident."

What gets to Guerrero and many other drivers on Dogwood is having to stop, shift to reverse and then do a three-quarters about-face with a vehicle, many times with other motorists right behind it and with the vehicle's front left edge crossing over the median.

"It's just not safe," Guerrero added. Dr. Tom Seiler, whose clinic is right on the corner of Third and Dogwood, agreed with Guerrero, saying that the danger of stopping to back in is to get the driver behind you to stop in time as well.

The bike paths have also become a target for Dogwood merchants. Having the bike paths between the roadway and where the cars are parked is a danger, many said, regardless of the fact that a car that is backed in has a less obstructed view of the path and the roadway.

"It's still a danger for folks on bikes," Seiler said. "I'd prefer they put it back to head-in parking and try to figure out another way to put bikes out there." He suggested a curb-protected path instead of the existing path near the middle of the street.

Merchants are not the only ones raising their voices, they are also the ones opening their ears to the opinions of their customers who have to park there.

"I have never heard anything good about it," said Betsy Steele, who works at Calico Cat.

Cathy Pugh, office manager of Covey Chiropractic Clinic said many patients will park on the other end of Third Avenue just to avoid dealing with the back-in parking.

A similar situation takes place around the corner from the clinic. Customers going to Woody's restaurant choose to stay in the drive -thru lane rather than back-in park, Woody's co-owner Jody Taylor said.

Lori Barlow from the City of Moses Lake, did not return the Herald's phone call.

Karen Porter, from Basin Employment Service and Training, said that the reason for the discontent may simply be that the citizens are not used to the back-in parking, adding that as safe as the backing-in is to get back into the traffic flow, she still does not think it's a good idea, but perhaps motorists need just to become accustomed to it.

Despite the complaints, the Moses Lake Police Department has not been called to any accidents in that area due to vehicles backing in.

MLPD Chief Dean Mitchell said the full picture is a bit more even, with reactions a mixed bag of compliments and complaints.

"It's going to take some time and some education, but (backing in) is probably safer," he added.