In hindsight, the words were prophetic: "Wherever possible, parking should not be permitted along streets adjacent to the (federal building) to reduce the possibility of a preset vehicle bomb."
The recommendation, in a little-noticed 1988 report by the National Research Council, went unheeded. From coast to coast, curbside parking is available at U.S. government buildings.It was available at the Alfred P. Murrah federal building in Oklahoma City, where a vehicle bomb exploded Wednesday morning with devastating results.
On Thursday, in some cities across the country, police covered parking meters with bags and prohibited parking near federal offices. Whether any of the parking bans becomes permanent is open to debate.
It's a tough call, said Jim Boyd, a security specialist for Federal Protective Services, a branch of the General Services Administration. To protect against powerful car bombs, the choices are to build bunker-like facilities or keep vehicles at a distance.
The first option, Boyd said, would be too costly, while the second would force people to walk farther to visit the Social Security office or other federal agencies.
The 1988 report recommended both strengthening buildings and isolating them.
Reassessing the parking question will be just one part of a security review that began after the Oklahoma City bombing.
"This has upped the ante," Boyd said. "We're going to have to rethink our security procedures."