Letters to the Editor 05/30/2012

To the Editor:

Is back-in diagonal parking a bad idea? No, it's a very good idea that will make streets safer in Sisters.

As small rural communities struggle for economic survival, Sisters needs to do everything we can to make our streets safer - for drivers, pedestrians and bicycles - while maximizing parking in our core downtown area. Back-in diagonal parking is a multimodal innovation that will help make our streets safer for everyone.

Back-in diagonal parking has distinct advantages. For one, it's easier than parallel parking. It also increases safety for loading and unloading vehicles, away from traffic. And vehicle doors open away from the street, guiding children and other passengers toward the sidewalk.

But the biggest advantage is visibility. No street-parking method avoids backing a vehicle up. So the question is, when do you want to back up, and toward what? In traditional front-in diagonal parking, you're backing out into traffic, your view blocked by cars on either side. You can't see vehicles or bikes in the road. With back-in diagonal, you're backing away from the traffic, and when you pull out, your visibility is tremendously improved.

As to the idea of holding up traffic while backing in, it's no different than parallel parking, which is used in cities everywhere.

Speaking of which, back-in diagonal parking is not some radical new idea - dozens of cities in the U.S. are using it, and with very positive results.

As far as being a change from head-in parking, consider this: If we had all used back-in diagonal parking all our lives, and someone proposed changing to head-in parking, there would be the same outcry about change that there is now. And what do you think people who were accustomed to back-in parking would say if we asked them to start backing blindly into traffic? This is change for the better.

Finally, this change is not just focused on bicycles. Sisters is multimodal - thousands of people drive through town, walk through town and ride through town. Given that all of them contribute to our economy, shouldn't we do everything we can to accommodate and encourage them all? The new plan will make bicycling easier and safer, but it will have the same effect for drivers and walkers, too. It's important to keep reminding ourselves that Sisters streets are for all users, and sharing them responsibly will lead to better outcomes.

As full disclosure, I am on the Oregon Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee, which gave the grant money to Sisters for this project. And because I live in Sisters, I recused myself from voting on this grant. But I followed the discussion, and I recognized the merits of the project. I also know that the grant was awarded on the merits of the entire project and not the one issue of back-in diagonal parking.

Change can be good, bad or indifferent. But when the proposed change is based on solid evidence and proven positive outcomes, it's time to abandon attempts to sabotage the change and give it a chance to work.

Jerry Norquist

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To the Editor:

It is disturbing to read about Sisters Schools and, in fact, many schools across the country, facing such severe budget cuts. This short-changing education is especially painful while knowing that huge sums of money are pouring into super-pacs - and for what reason? Imagine what all that money could do to help schools give our children what they deserve; the opportunity to learn and achieve. The future of our country depends on them.

I volunteered in an after-school program under the direction of Shawn Diez. It was a time for students to work on their homework with the help of teachers and volunteers. It was a well-organized program and benefited many. Hopefully, something similar can be worked out for next year, but it would not be the same without Shawn.

I personally will miss Shawn and his talents with children. I know the Sisters students will miss him too.

Virginia Rhett