NEW DIRECTION IN NEWHALL BACK-IN PARKING A BIT PERPLEXING.

Byline: JUDY O'ROURKE

Staff Writer

NEWHALL -- Maneuvering into back-in diagonal parking spaces has been a chore for several drivers trying the new system in Newhall, but the city urges motorists to give it a chance.

Parallel parking along San Fernando Road in the downtown core was replaced last week with the unfamiliar style.

"Motorists are increasingly getting used to the new configuration because we've seen fewer and fewer cars parked in the wrong direction," said Chris Price, an assistant city engineer for Santa Clarita. "We hope motorists will give it a chance."

San Fernando Road was slimmed from four lanes to two June 21, with a double yellow no-passing line in the middle. Through traffic has been diverted from San Fernando Road onto Railroad Avenue at Lyons Avenue, so drivers can only access San Fernando from side streets.

Stop signs at nearly every intersection in the old downtown area slow the pace on the former thoroughfare, readying it for a rehab that conjures a pedestrian friendly shopping and arts district. Right now, the road is lined with many mom-and-pop stores that cater to the predominantly Latino neighborhood.

Consultants who devised the area's $1 million specific plan saw the parking style in Vancouver, Wash., Washington, D.C., and other spots and liked it.

The city of Ventura offers angled parking on several streets in its downtown area but only one block has back-in, because the road slopes up, said Tom Mericle, a transportation and traffic engineer for that city. The back-in method allows vehicles to roll back against the curb, which is safer if vehicles slip out of gear -- and it's required by state law because of the grade, he said.

Mericle sees at least one violation a day and Ventura police officers have written hundreds of tickets over the years because of the technique, which has been in place since the 1940s.

Among the benefits: It's safer for bicyclists because it minimizes blindspots and fewer maneuvers are needed to get in and out of a space, he said.

"The downsides are, drivers are generally unfamiliar with it, and you get a higher level of violations because people will head in from the opposite side of the street -- that's the citation we write," he said. "My biggest concern is that in an area the city is looking at redeveloping into a destination district, back-in angled parking will direct exhaust into where pedestrians are walking and dining."

The exhaust issue has been the biggest concern among several cities nationwide that have adopted the parking style, he said.

Santa Clarita workers on Wednesday moved sidewalk benches at least three feet from the curb to prevent cars from backing into them -- and to protect people who sit on them. Newsstand racks, trash cans and sign posts also will be moved.

Some embrace the change, others like the angled parking but think motorists should head in.

"I am a forward-driving person, most people are forward drivers, so backing up will be definitely difficult," said Christlyn McKay, 35, of Santa Clarita. "You have to cross the double line to park and it's just not a good idea. They need to change it or go to other cities to see what works in their communities because it's not working here."

McKay was unaware of the new system and headed to a space near the Santa Clarita Valley Service Center on San Fernando.

The center's volunteers were split.

"It's not really good. We've heard more people stop and screech because you have to make a big turn and come backwards," said Estella Reyes, 52. "We've heard more people almost get into accidents because of this parking."

Volunteer Barbara Colvard, 63, disagrees.

"It makes it much easier for the clients to come in here and get out ... you're not in the street at any time," she said. "Once they get used to this particular pattern I think they're going to think it's a pretty good deal."

Reyes says she's seen drivers skirt the double yellow lines to park, and some even zip across to park on the opposite side of the street.

Sheriff's deputies plan to allow a grace period and probably won't start writing tickets until late July or early August, said Sgt. Richard Cohen.

Among the menu of parking violations is heading in to a space instead of backing in, taking up two spaces, failure to obey signs, parking along a red curb -- and a biggie, a moving violation -- crossing the double solid line.

Parking citations would cost between $45 and $60, citations for moving violations would cost significantly more, and a ticket for illegally parking in a handicapped area costs roughly $300.

Price said he's gotten raves from shopkeepers and about 10 critiques from residents. The city experimented with the proper width for spaces before painting the lines because so many residents drive over-sized SUVs and pickup trucks.

Steve Jasik, 34, an industrial artist and car restorer wonders if the plan is unhealthy for lungs and business.

"When it's a hot day and a person isn't getting out of the car -- they're letting it idle with the air conditioning on for five to 10 minutes -- the exhaust is being blown on the sidewalk so people walking by are breathing the fumes," he said. Eyeballing them, he says the spaces appear too short for full-size trucks and vans and trucks with trailers.

"I notice Jazmin's Bakery used to have workers stop before they went to work -- you would have a four-door dualy truck with a big trailer behind it and 10 guys would pop and they would each spend $5 to $10 apiece," he said. "So I see that business is gone also."

Price said more signs will be posted and fliers written in both English and Spanish will be placed on parked cars, adding that the plan can be changed if it doesn't work out.

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CAPTION(S):

4 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color -- ran in SAC edition only) San Fernando Road was slimmed from four lanes to two June 21. Through traffic has been diverted from San Fernando Road onto Railroad Avenue at Lyons Avenue, so drivers can only access San Fernando Road from side streets.

(2 -- color in SAC edition only) San Fernando Road through downtown Newhall has been revamped. It has been re-striped as a two-lane road with reverse-angle parking. The new parking scheme has left many business owners and patrons scratching their heads.

(3 -- ran in SAC edition only) Christlyn McKay of Santa Clarita says she is a "forward driver" and has a difficult time backing into parking spots.

(4 -- ran in AV edition only) San Fernando Road was slimmed from four lanes to two, and it has been re-striped with reverse-angle parking. The new parking scheme has left many business owners and patrons scratching their heads. Through traffic has been diverted from San Fernando Road onto Railroad Avenue at Lyons Avenue, so drivers can only access San Fernando Road from side streets.

David Crane/Staff Photographer