TRAFFIC & PARKING DEPT TO PILOT BACK-IN ANGLED PARKING IN UNION SQUARE

SOMERVILLE -

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and Acting Transportation and Parking Director Matthew Dias announced today that the City will be seeking to install back-in, angled parking along Bow Street in Union Square. The Bow Street installation, which would begin in May, will add 22

new spaces and increase the street's metered parking by 90 percent. At the same time, the change will greatly improve safety and

visibility for drivers as well as for pedestrians and bicyclists.

"Like so many of the successful changes we've made in best practices and management techniques, back-in parking will begin with a trial period, but we think it has great potential," said Mayor Curtatone.

"This simple change in parking geometry - which has been successful in cities from Washington to San Francisco - is another

step in making Somerville a multi-modal community that works for cars and drivers but is also bike-friendly and walkable."

"The back-in, angled parking pilot is another component of Traffic and Parking's continuing effort to make parking easier and more convenient for

visitors and residents" said Dias. "We've combined better payment alternatives - including credit cards - with additional

metered parking and better demand management. The statistical evidence is clear: we've seen a 20 percent decrease in parking

violations after a series of customer service improvements. We also issue fewer meter violations because parking in business districts is

now more convenient than it used to be."

"But there's only so much we can do through technology and management," Dias said. "The next step is to address congestion and supply - which

is where back-in angled parking comes into play. It's an easier maneuver than parallel parking, and nearly doubles the number of

parking spaces. What's really exciting is that this change is also a big help to decreasing conflicts between vehicles and cyclists,

since vehicle doors no longer open directly into bike lanes the way they do in parallel parking spaces. Motorists and cyclists can also

more easily see each other when cars are pulling out of a space, and pedestrians benefit greatly from the reduction in the width of the

travel lane and additional pavement markings.

The City has prepared a brochure on back-in angled parking that is available on the Traffic and Parking website, www.parksomerville.com.

Dias said the brochure will be distributed to Union Square businesses prior to public meetings to be scheduled in April. "We

expect a lot of questions," said Dias. "But once folks understand that this means more parking spaces, added convenience and

enhanced safety, I think they'll be excited about experimenting with this new parking configuration."