The roads in downtown San Jose are getting a makeover in the hopes of making them safer for cyclists. But as the new plan is put into place, it's causing confusion for drivers who can't seem to figure out where to park.

Driver Sean Rossiter says, "I was just going to back out and sort of weirdly maneuver between these two cars over here. It was a mess."

It used to be that parking spots were closest to the curb. Not anymore.

Now a protected bike lane will be tucked curbside, with parking further out.

Driver Craig Hosoda says,"It's a little bit weird. The fact that you have to park in the street away from the curb. It's kinda confusing."

In fact people are so baffled, they're parking in both the old spaces and the new spaces, blocking people in.


San Jose's Transportation Department hopes the confusion will be cleared up once the painting is finished, and bright-green plastic posts go in. In the meantime, they are not issuing tickets.

Colin Heyne with San Jose's Department of Transportation says, "We painted parking spaces, but most people were still parking at the curb. So we've been allowing that. What we can't allow is for people to double park. So if you see somebody parked at the curb, please do not park immediately to their right."

And there are other concerns too. Residents say the new set up creates problems for police, delivery trucks, and street sweepers, among other things.

Steve Cohen, a downtown property owner says, "There's no place to put our dumpsters. There's no plan to keep these bike lanes clean that makes any reasonable sense."

Parts of 3rd Street, 4th, San Fernando, and Taylor will be getting this makeover.

Cyclists hope eventually it will make it safer for them.

Cyclist Avaril Singh says, "I think long run it'll be better because people still don't know the rules and timings. I think eventually when people start coming to terms with the rules, it will be easier for cyclists. It will be easier."

The entire project should be complete in the next two months.