ROYAL OAK, Mich. (WXYZ) — Royal Oak is saying goodbye to back-in parking on Washington Avenue, returning to traditional angled pull-in spaces after years of driver frustration.
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"This is the first step in a long journey to transform the downtown parking system," Joe Gacioch, Royal Oak city manager, said.
The city is reversing its 2021 decision to partner with a Minnesota-based company that implemented the back-in parking system on Washington Avenue between Fourth Street and Lincoln Street.
"I am really excited. I found the back-in [parking] super frustrating. I thought it was dangerous, and ill-planned, and really inconvenient because both sides of traffic had to stop for you to be able to back in," April Boyle, Royal Oak resident, said.
"It was just a pain in the neck," Michael Connors, Royal Oak resident, said. "You knew you were dealing with it when you came down, and it never made sense."
Starting this week, drivers can pull straight into angled spaces again. By January 1, the city will also switch to traditional pay stations as well as ParkMobile.
Previous report: Royal Oak parking changes expected to begin this fall, what you need to know
Gacioch explained the original reasoning behind the back-in system:
"Because Michigan does not have any front license plates. They required back-in parking on Washington Street to work with the parking system."
The goal now is to make Royal Oak's downtown experience simpler for visitors.
"We want parking to be an afterthought. We don't want it to be a big planning tool for everyone else," Gacioch said. "So, let's make it simple, let's make it easy, pull in to angled parking like you would at any other place, and go enjoy the downtown."
Local students and workers expressed relief about the change.
"I feel like it will be easier, so you don't have to stop traffic on the other side of the road to back into a spot," Zoe Cogswell, who attends OCC-Royal Oak campus, said.
"I feel like I would drive more if I didn't have to back in," Evelyn Dolata, another OCC-Royal Oak campus student, said.
Drake Butcher, who works at his uncle's record store, UHF Records, hopes the new spaces will bring more customers to the area. The family-owned business has been in downtown Royal Oak for 15 years.
"Those back-in spaces were freaking everyone out; they freak me out," Butcher said. "That's one thing I hope that these new spaces will sort of improve on is that more people will feel free and walk in through the front door."
The new pull-in spaces are expected to be ready by Tuesday and will be free of charge through January 2.
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