^ Another Lane going south?? This sounds like it will cause everything to have to be changed all the way to where the Acosta and Fuller Warren SB lanes merge. I didn't realize how big this project was I guess.
First day of parking system a struggle for some driversWritten byThyrie Blandtbland@pnj.comHaley Von Haven hesitated Monday before backing her Mini Cooper into a parking space on North Palafox Street."It was pretty tricky," said Von Haven, 21, of Pensacola. "I have never had to do it before."Anyone who had business to take care of Monday on North Palafox Street between Chase and Gregory streets noticed something new — angled, back-in parking spaces.The back-in parking is the brainchild of the Downtown Improvement Board, which plans to take away most of the parallel parking spaces along a three-block stretch of Palafox and add back-in parking spaces.When the project is complete, the parking spots along the stretch of street will increase from 69 to 174.The DIB hopes the additional parking spaces will attract new businesses to that portion of the street.Most drivers were able to get their vehicles into the parking spots without any problems Monday morning, but the new way of parking in downtown Pensacola is getting mixed reviews.Harvey Harkness, 67, of Pensacola said the back-in parking is easy to do, but he doesn't like that Palafox is being reduced from two to four lanes for the parking spaces."To me, that just defies logic," said Harkness, who works downtown. "I haven't seen any problems."Von Haven works at Style, a hair salon on North Palafox. She said there are pros and cons to the new parking.She said some people will find it difficult to stop and back into a parking space. But she said getting out of a space will be easy since you won't have to back out of it."I think it's going to take some time getting used to, but I like that it adds lots of spaces," Von Haven said.Kim Kimbrough, the DIB's executive director, said he knows it will take some time for some motorists to catch on, but they will eventually be backing into the spaces with no problems."I am not going to tell you it will be perfect every time because all the other cities we have talked to essentially told us ... there is a 'get used to' period that folks have to go through because it's different and it's new," he said. "Those range from 90 days to several months, but we are confident that folks in Pensacola are going to catch on just like they have in every other city it's done."The angled spaces confused Susan York, 56, of North Carolina, who is here helping her mother-in-law deliver flowers. She tried to pull in "nose first" rather than backing in."I came in, and I noticed it looked funny," she said.Cory Ricci, 18, spent his day working for the DIB. He sat on the sidewalk in a chair, armed with fliers that explain how to park correctly in the new spots. Ricci talked briefly with York after her mistake.York said she thinks the new parking will cause some problems."What if somebody is behind you?" she asked. "Then they have to back up so you can back in."Carla Seeker, 40, of Gulf Breeze said she found it difficult to back her sport utility vehicle into one of the spaces. She was in downtown for a hair appointment at Style."If you have a smaller car, it would not be a problem," said Seeker, who drives a GMC Denali. "You could probably whip in and out."Seeker said she will try to avoid the back-in parking on future trips to North Palafox Street."I just learned my lesson," she said.
