New Boulder Parking Rule Results In Thousands Of Tickets

BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4) - Drivers in Boulder are now required to back into angled parking spots on a stretch of University between 17th Street and Broadway. Officials say it's helping to make the street safer.

Marni Ratzel, a spokeswoman for the city of Boulder, says that the new parking rules are part of a program designed to lower the number of car crashes.

"What we're testing is whether or not backing into the space improves safety," says Ratzel.

She says that they have issued over 1000 tickets to drivers.

"We have not had any documented accidents since installing the treatment," says Ratzel.

The new rule started Aug. 12 and over the past six weeks drivers have been paying the price. Driver Edward King has received two parking tickets already and believes the new rules aren't helping anybody.

"You have to reverse all the way around and you're more likely to hit someone else's car," says King.

King thinks that the road is still dangerous despite the new rules.

"There's that hill, there's the bend, it's just a dangerous area. Doing the back-in thing isn't really going to change that much," says King.

Local biker Seth Medina thinks the new rules make the road safer for bikers.

"From a biker's standpoint it is probably safer for the bikers, I would argue," said Medina.

Although the new rules started in early August, Ratzel says the city spent four to six weeks warning drivers before ticketing them.