Drivers will have to back into parking spots on Watertown’s Court Street

WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) - A new way of parking is coming to Court Street in Watertown.

As part of the $3.6 million streetscape project, the one-way street will switch to reverse-angled parking.

The angle of the parking spots will change which means drivers will have to back into the parking spaces rather than pull in.

City planner Geoff Urda says if all goes well, other areas of the city may switch to reverse-angle parking as well.

He calls the switch safer than the current parking and easier than parallel parking.

“Leaving the space will be far, far easier because you won’t need to back out blindly into moving traffic any more. You’ll be able to simply merge with traffic,” he said.

Urda says new parking space stripes will be painted after Court Street is repaved. The reverse-angled parking will likely go into effect by mid-summer.

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