East Austin Parking for the Statesman

Jesse Flores suffered stroke in March of 2010. His neighborhood just east of downtown on 8th street, was jammed with traffic - visitors to SXSW looking for free parking. The ambulance ride to the hospital, less than a mile away, took over 20 minutes.

Traffic congestion and parking problems in neighborhoods bordering downtown have become all to common in the last three years. Thursday through Sunday nights are filled with constant traffic and loud bar and club patrons return for their vehicles in the early morning hours. With the city extension of parking meters into the evening hours, the problem will only get worse. Flores and other neighbors are petitioning the city for residential parking permits to ease the problem.