Post Falls eyes solution for parking along narrow road
City councilors start the meeting Tuesday night in council chambers.
From left to right: Samantha Steigleder, Joe Malloy, Nathan Ziegler and the newly sworn-in member of the council, Ryan Davis.
CAROLYN BOSTICK/Press
Rob Palus addresses traffic concerns from city councilors regarding Spokane Street during the City Council meeting Tuesday in council chambers.
POST FALLS — A routine traffic study presentation at Tuesday night's City Council meeting became a heated discussion about parking enforcement along Cecil Road and Spokane Street.
City administrators had initially requested comprehensive traffic studies to measure speed, review enforcement results and analyze accident histories in the area.
Police Chief Greg McLean began by presenting collision data, revealing that between 2020 and 2022, before the Cecil Road roundabout was installed, the area experienced 20 collisions — approximately 8.3 per year.
City engineer Rob Palus then explained the technical aspects of the study, noting that traffic engineers use the 85th percentile speed to determine what is "reasonable and prudent for the roadway conditions." The study focused on the area where parking configurations have evolved with the roadway's development.
"When the Crown Pointe subdivision went in, we knew this was going to be a busy roadway," Palus said.
Councilor Samantha Steigleder raised concerns about the narrow roadway and parking enforcement.
"We are going to enforce the parking on the east side of the street, right?" she asked McLean.
McLean confirmed ongoing enforcement efforts, stating that up to 24 citations had been issued on both sides of the street section.
"We have been enforcing, and we'll continue to enforce," he said, though he noted that some residents seem willing to risk a $20 parking ticket for convenient access.
Steigleder remained skeptical.
"I get the data. I just really struggle with the idea that this is just the resident perception that it's tight there," she said. "It really is a terrible little stretch of road to drive, especially when there's cars parked in that area."
The council discussed potential solutions, including eliminating parking in the area. Legal counsel suggested examining an increase in parking ticket fees to create a more effective deterrent.
Rob Palus addresses traffic concerns from city councilors regarding Spokane Street during the City Council meeting Tuesday in council chambers.