Drivers: Indio courthouse parking a mess, where to park?

If you’ve visited the courthouse in Indio lately you may have noticed the parking situation has much to be desired.

Drivers say there isn’t enough and they’re literally off-roading, using a dirt lot next to the courthouse to park, riddled with mud and potholes.

“I go everywhere around here and I could not find no parking, so I park right in there, but because everything is full,” said Ernesto Rodriguez, who visited the courthouse on Wednesday, “Before the construction there was no problem. Always parking on the other side,” he said.

In fact, a woman trying to go around to park in the dirt lot ended up stuck in a big pothole Wednesday morning. She had to wait for help to get her car pulled out.
Even though drivers are parking there, they shouldn’t be, there are signs posted throughout that say ‘No Parking Anytime.’ One thing that driver, Jackey Gray, found out the hard way.

“I called my husband and I am still married, he’s still talking to me! He said ‘I can’t believe… didn’t you see this sign? How could you drive into that big hole?'”

She did admit, she’s partly to blame.

“To be fair, when they send you the jurors notice they do tell you, they warn you about the parking and they do tell you to get here early, and they do tell you about other parking. I’d like to blame it all on them, but I can’t,” said Gray.

Drivers say especially in the mornings, the parking lot around the Larson Justice Center quickly gets full.

“You know most matters are heard at 8 o’clock or 8:30 a.m., pretty early, and then jury selection starts pretty early, and then lawyers are getting there pretty early. Maybe it evens out, but I’ve been there different times of day, and it’s always been like that,” said Karl Vasquez, a pre-Law student and business owner, who frequently drives to the Indio courthouse.

The Indio City Public Works Department says a two-story public parking garage across from the Justice Center on the back side, will open in January and should provide relief. There’s also a parking lot located across from the Del Taco that’s in front of the courthouse. However, many people said they didn’t know it existed.

“There was nobody to direct or help or anything like that, basically you were stuck in that situation,” said Vasquez.

KESQ/CBS Local 2 did notice there’s a lack of signs that could help direct people to that lot or other parking in the area, especially with the construction along Highway 111.

The city says there’s also street parking in the downtown area and at the Indio Fairgrounds. Those who have to go to the courthouse for jury duty, will find information and instructions on their jury summons.

For more information on other places to park click link http://www.riverside.courts.ca.gov/jury/jury_parkhoj.shtml