Diagonal parking on Main Avenue in Libby has been met with a warm response.

The street department recently enacted the change following a city council vote at the July 20 meeting. The streets committee recommended approving the move following discussion at March 18 and July 7 meetings of the city’s Lights, Streets and Sidewalks Committee.

The new parking runs from the end of Main Avenue, at its intersection with West Second St., to West Fifth St. on the west side of the avenue. It created one dozen more spaces than the 29 that previously existed.

Streets Committee Chair Gail Burger, along with committee members Brian Zimmerman and Erica Schaefer, gave their blessings for the change at the July 7 committee meeting.

“The streets committee has been looking at a lot of different options for parking and it’ll help with parking at the ball field when there are games there,” Burger said. “Also, during Ignite the Nites and the chainsaw carving. The carving is at the end of Mineral and we do see a lot of traffic backed up over those areas.”

According to deputy city administrator Gary Beach’s proposal for council, the purpose was to increase downtown parking supply while maintaining a reasonable roadway function.

Among the considerations were the fact that the 51-foot wide street made it easier to create angle parking spots.

One resident of the apartment complex at the end of Main Avenue said he liked the new arrangement.

“We have more spots and the visibility is better,” the man said.

The blocks between Second and Fourth streets have about 17 spots while the block between Fourth and Fifth has seven, a result of the county’s Youth Court Services building.

There were a few public comments, one about downtown parking in other areas, and another applauding the new configuration on Main Avenue.