Sound Off: Long Beach's Worst Parking Lot

Bob Binder a.k.a. "Vitaman" June 19, 2012 at 10:56 am

Let's face it. Parking anywhere in Long Beach can be a problem. At different times there are too many cars for two few spots. We live in a 4 season community, with harsh winters that cause damage to paved areas, and the parking areas are not exempt from this. The reality is that they are used my vehicles that are moving at low speeds, and a few bumps, although annoying, are tolerable.
I would hope that a follow up article would be "Long Beach's Worst Street". Between the frost heaves, sewer line repairs, and just age some of them cause excess wear and tear on cars and cause unsafe driving conditions. I'll pick up hte ball and ask...besides parking lots...what is the worst street in long beach?

Misty June 19, 2012 at 11:36 am

The worst street in Long Beach is Boyd Street - in the canals. The worst parking lot is Walgreen's parking lot.

J June 19, 2012 at 12:23 pm

Cvs! It is so hard to fit in the spits and hard to get out!

Carolyn June 19, 2012 at 12:25 pm

The parking lot on Park Ave across from Gino's....

ADNK June 19, 2012 at 12:54 pm

I agree. The CVS parking lot should be restricted to Smart Cars and scooters. It is nearly impossible to navigate.

Lala June 19, 2012 at 02:25 pm

One of the worst parking lots is actaully one that was just redesigned. Between Monroe and Long Beach Rd., across from NY Sports. The exit was reconfigured so that we exit into the left lane of westbound Park Ave. SInce it is a mere hair's breadth away from Long Beach Rd., one often has to shoot across 3 lanes of traffic in a very short space of time in order to make a right onto LB Road. When traffic is heavy/it is raining/the sun is setting it is really pretty dicey.
The worst street(s) are the two Vinton Streets in the canals. The raw sewage bubbling up regularly on Vinton St. north of Pine is just an added treat {{sarcasm}}. They often have to bring the pump trucks every few hours just to pump the raw sewage out of the 85 year old, failed sewage lines. woohoo.

Eileen Devine June 19, 2012 at 02:50 pm

I vote for the Waldbaum's parking lot as the worst in the city. It is sloped down towards Park Ave. so much that carts not secured up by the store just go flying towards Park ave.--into cars & into people. (So many people are acting in a lazy or thoughtless manner when they don't put their carts back, but that's a complaint for another time....) I know this firsthand because I was seriously injured some years ago by a cart that came flying into me and hit me in the SECOND row of parking. When the lot was recently repaved I was hoping they'd regrade it as well, but they did not--they just took the cart "garages" out of the lot instead, making this problem worse than ever. There is an employee that collect carts, but not quick enough--and one is not enough!

awesome June 19, 2012 at 03:43 pm

Don't get me started on how horrible your FREE PARKING is!!!!!!
also, there is a vote tonight at the city council meeting on raising public transportation 30-50%.

JP Ashcroft June 19, 2012 at 03:58 pm

Do carts really "fly"?

inplainsight June 19, 2012 at 04:17 pm

the good thing is there are lots everywhere, if you go the extra block and walk or drive to the next light, they are not configured wrong at all. the lot across from gino's never has a spot and you have to exit back towards edwards where there is never a spot and across is ten minute parking for train p/u. CVS is another tough one, very small, bad design. try leaving the one on park between roosevelt and neptune, hold your breath and hit the gas.

Sharon S. Stockdale June 19, 2012 at 04:45 pm

Lala: Once again I'm in complete agreement with you. Another problem with that lot is the fact that you are forced to drive 2-3 blocks out of your way if you want to head east or south, since there are no left turns onto Long Beach Road.

Lala June 19, 2012 at 04:55 pm

Sharon: Yes, exactly!! I didn't mention the fact that you have to go 2-3 blocks out of your way to head east, since I was focusing on the *danger* of the design, as opposed to teh annoying inconvenience. You are 100% right. I scratch my head and say a prayer every time I have to leave that lot. Bizarre!

Jennifer Bowler June 19, 2012 at 07:03 pm

Hands down Walbaums parking lot. I HATE going in there. I'm always afraid I will hit someone or they will hit me. The directional arrows painted on the pavement are faded, and there are few signs directing drivers. It is overcrowded, and people drive wherever they want.

Longbeacher June 19, 2012 at 07:57 pm

there will soon be a wonderful lot over long beach bridge with a new super market ,cant wait

Sharon S. Stockdale June 19, 2012 at 08:20 pm

Yeah..speaking of that lot for the new supermarket, what deal did they make to allow them to completely eradicate the road going to the waterfront bars? I hope that they are going to allow the bargoers to use that lot evenings so as to minimize the traffic going into that residential area. If that isn't the deal that was cut and they are allowed to tow cars from the lot for parking and walking to the bars, someone should be held to account for cutting a bad deal.

paul.d.spellman June 19, 2012 at 08:25 pm

What were the terms of the "bad deal"? you mention?

Sharon S. Stockdale June 19, 2012 at 09:13 pm

Paul: I did some research since my post and I found out that the project is a John Vitale project. Vitale also owns Bridgeview, Coyote and Paddy McGees, so I guess the lot will be available to people using those establishments. I was speculating that the developer had gotten permission from Island Park to reconfigure the access road and thought that they should have cut the deal to allow use of the parking lot. As it turns out, that was moot.

awesome June 19, 2012 at 10:18 pm

Have you ever drove into a parking lot in LA? The CVS lot has ample space in comparison!

awesome June 19, 2012 at 10:19 pm

The cart garages are back

Maurice Allen June 19, 2012 at 11:28 pm

I agree with Lala. The parking lot between Monroe and Long Beach is a fatality (or more) just waiting to happen. Everytime I see the pumper trucks over in the canals, I have to wonder where the health department is at . . . !

Longbeacher June 20, 2012 at 02:28 am

i know this is not the place to put this but im posting it hopefully Tagney will see it ,With the traffic of summer apon us ,we had another chid injured today (hopeful god will help him) we need the police to inforce HELMUT LAWS ,i have a young daughter and all her friends that at 12 dont think its cool to wear a helmut ,they all have beach cruisers and i know what being 12 is like ,my thought is if we start fineing parents ( ill take the first ticket )it will change the whole idea of no helmut .any thoughts ?

Longbeacher June 20, 2012 at 02:29 am

is a million dollars for a road a bad deal?

Longbeacher June 20, 2012 at 02:37 am

Sharon ,before u make a statment check the facts that road was bought at a very high price ,what that parking lot does is make all the people in the condos that have been fighting for years a little happier,always keep in mind its commercial property and it could be used for a junk yard that has a pile driver that would crush cars all day or a recycling lot that would bring bugs and smell up the whole city ,and u know what we could do ? NOTHING

Cilla of LB June 20, 2012 at 03:29 am

How about we invent some cool looking helmets the kids will want to wear. That would end the fight. Any takers?

The real bear June 20, 2012 at 03:41 am

Speaking of Gino's are they ever going to fix the cracked glass on their door?

Eileen Devine June 20, 2012 at 04:19 am

Carts can & do roll at substantial speeds in this lot. When one is coming at you fast and is about to hit you, well, yes, it does feel as though it's "flying." Consider that word descriptive if that makes you more comfortable, JA, & yourself fortunate that you haven't had the experience of being hit by rapidly moving cart.

kevin June 20, 2012 at 05:55 am

that's whacked !!

Longbeacher June 20, 2012 at 03:17 pm

i was thinking the same thing ,im sure it would take years to get it threw safty laws ,Bell and other big companys would fight you ,but i have a great idea for just that ,even a place to pull the pony tail threw

Jill Brennan Lessard June 20, 2012 at 04:19 pm

Parking curbside ANYWHERE at all on Park Avenue is horrible. Cars double parked, bikes / pedestrians / beach goers weaving in and out - the City needs to eliminate it altogether or come up with a better solution.

Glenna King June 28, 2012 at 03:50 pm

Worst Parking Lot: CVS Worst Street: Neptune Blvd North of Park Avenue