As part of the GetAbout Columbia non-motorized transportation pilot program, the Public Works Department will be changing parking spaces on Ash Street from Seventh to Ninth Streets to back-in angle parking as a test project. The new angled, metered parking spots will be installed the week of July 13, weather permitting.

The plan is to remove 28 parallel parking spaces from both sides of Ash Street and install 27 back-in angle parking on the south side of the street for west-bound traffic. 

“Back-in angle parking helps prevent “dooring” injuries to bicyclists” said Ted Curtis, GetAbout Columbia’s Program Manager. “This is where a driver opens their car door not seeing an approaching bicyclist, and often times the bicyclist hits the car door or may even be thrown into oncoming traffic.” Ash Street is already a designated bike route according to Curtis. 

Back-in angle parking also provides benefits to motorists such as easy curbside loading and unloading and the opened car door will keep children and pets shielded from busy street traffic. It requires fewer maneuvers than parallel parking and there is much less chance of an accident when pulling out as opposed to blindly backing into passing traffic as often happens on Broadway.

There are 26 North American cities using back-in parking in some locations including St. Louis, Tuscon, Indianapolis and Vancouver.
This test project is part of the overall $22 million non-motorized pilot program being funded by the Federal Highway Administration. For more information on GetAbout Columbia and back-in angle parking, please click here.

See the original press release below.

Contact: GetAbout Columbia
 (573) 874-7250