Readers Would Change Downtown On-Street Parking
In the poll last week two-thirds of the voters would like to see a change in the on-street parking policy. A third selected no change:
Q:Â On-street parking downtown should be…
- as is, free after 7pm & weekends 46 [33.33%]
- free after 5pm & weekends 38 [27.54%]
- Other: 10 [7.9%]
- paid 24/7: 9 [6.52%]
- paid until 5pm, 7 days a week 9 [6.52%]
- free 24/7: 7 [5.07%]
- paid until 7pm, 7 days a week 7 [5.07%]
- paid until 9pm, 7 days a week 7 [5.07%]
- paid until 9pm weekdays, free on weekends 3 [2.17%]
- unsure/no opinion 1 [0.72%]
- removed to provide more driving lanes 1 [0.72%]
The problem? No consensus among the two-thirds that voted for a change. The biggest response for change is lowering the free period from 7pm to 5pm weekdays, keeping weekends free. In my opinion we need to go toward more paid time to discourage driving and to turn over the spaces for use by other drivers.
The other answers provided were:
- Set at the precise amount where the supply and demand curve meet by 4 hr periods
- free for downtown residents
- Priced to promote maximum occupancy
- keep as is, but offer monthly parking passes for downtown residents.
- congrestion pricing
- free after 7pm, Sundays and Holidays
- I’ll pay, just sucks when your car gets broken into b/c police sux in the city
- Need to install credit card machines. People rarely carry loose change.
- variable, based on supply & demand
- paid twice current rate to fund demolition of historic buildings
Add any additional thoughts in the comments below.
– Steve Patterson
Downtown residents don’t deserve any more concessions than any other resident. Loose change should be placed in your car if you typically park at meters and if you typically do not carry it in your pocket.
Downtown residents don’t deserve any more concessions than any other resident. Loose change should be placed in your car if you typically park at meters and if you typically do not carry it in your pocket.
I’d like to address the “people rarely carry loose change” answer. People who plan to park on the street, or are used to parking on the street DO carry loose change. It’s not a difficult thing to do in a car. Also, I prefer traditional meters to walk-up credit card machines — it creates a more consistent line when cars are lined up. And frankly, the only reason to use a credit card machine is if you’re in a very high-density street parking area…you can cram more cars in. Not really an issue in St. Louis right now.
I’d like to address the “people rarely carry loose change” answer. People who plan to park on the street, or are used to parking on the street DO carry loose change. It’s not a difficult thing to do in a car. Also, I prefer traditional meters to walk-up credit card machines — it creates a more consistent line when cars are lined up. And frankly, the only reason to use a credit card machine is if you’re in a very high-density street parking area…you can cram more cars in. Not really an issue in St. Louis right now.
In Clayton they have switched to credit card & cash parking machines. Each former metered spot is sectioned off with paint lines on the ground so the parking is equally uniform. I know many people who frequently forget to bring change, or don’t have any stocked up in their car who regularly park downtown on the street for sporting events, summer concerts, rib fest, etc. Suddenly the hotels, restaurants, and 7-Elevens become change machines for these types of people. It is inconvenient to everyone, and a huge waste of time. Credit card options actually generate more money for the city, and at least gives the customer an additional and more up-to-date option of payment.
In Clayton they have switched to credit card & cash parking machines. Each former metered spot is sectioned off with paint lines on the ground so the parking is equally uniform. I know many people who frequently forget to bring change, or don’t have any stocked up in their car who regularly park downtown on the street for sporting events, summer concerts, rib fest, etc. Suddenly the hotels, restaurants, and 7-Elevens become change machines for these types of people. It is inconvenient to everyone, and a huge waste of time. Credit card options actually generate more money for the city, and at least gives the customer an additional and more up-to-date option of payment.
Duncan, which I believe supplies St. Louis’ parking meters, does offer the option of accepting credit card payments at individual meters – http://www.duncansolutions.com/eagle2100.html and http://parkingfreedom.com/ – or the use of a stored-value “parking key” – http://www.duncansolutions.com/eagle2100.html – in addition to the standard, coin-only mechanisms. I’m pretty sure not offering the credit card or parking key options gets back to higher initial costs weighed against revenues actually generated.
It should only be based on true supply and demand. We have blocks where meters are rarely used, for hours or days on end, (take ’em out) and we have blocks where the meters are nearly always full / in use (raise the rates). The two primary reasons any government has for charging for parking are to balance supply and demand (give everyone a fair shot at getting an on-street spot when things are busy) AND to generate revenue. Secondary reasons include shifting demand to other locations or to other modes of travel. The trick is balancing any agenda / ulterior motives against real-world results. People will and do  use virtual parking, aka free Metro park-and-ride lots + Metrolink, when they understand the advantages – equal or shorter travel times and equal or lower costs, especially for major events that increase parking costs and generate a lot of congested traffic. People will continue to drive and park themselves when it remains “more” convenient and appears to be “affordable” – free is great, but people will pay, up to a certain point, depending on both the destination and the time of day / day of the week. But when it comes to most retail and some restaurants, there remain many equal or better options that offer free parking.
One big change that would likely improve a lot of things would be to remove the control of on-street parking from the Treasurer and transfer it to the Streets Department. In Denver, Right-of-Way Management (formerly Parking Management, formerly Parking Control) is under the direction and control of the Public Works Department: http://parksmartdenver.com/. The primary focus in Denver is managing a scarce resource; the primary goal here seems to be generating revenue, only the focus is on quantity over quality. Having meters along a street like Grand, only to have free parking on the intersecting side streets, is silly. The gross revenues probably barely cover the cost of the equipment, maintenace and enforcement, whille serving to both scare away potential customers for the retail tenants and to irritate the residents on the side streets!
And finally, the concept that downtown residents should get free parking or have the ability to secure monthly parking passes – um, NO! Downtown residents already have the ability to obtain monthly parking, in both off-street garages and on surface lots, and this reality was a given when they / you chose to move downtown. In addition, downtown resident have a much-more-robust, heavily-taxpayer-subsidized transit infrastructure at their disposal than those of us who live outside the CBD. Some buildings offer parking, some do not – it was and is a choice and something that directly affects costs, both initially and on a monthly basis – if you don’t like it / it no longer works for you, then move! I have no more “right” to the spot in front of my SW city home than you do or should living downtown. It makes about as much sense as saying that the city should give me a free annual swim pass because I don’t have my own swimming pool!
It should only be based on true supply and demand. We have blocks where meters are rarely used, for hours or days on end, (take ’em out) and we have blocks where the meters are nearly always full / in use (raise the rates). The two primary reasons any government has for charging for parking are to balance supply and demand (give everyone a fair shot at getting an on-street spot when things are busy) AND to generate revenue. Secondary reasons include shifting demand to other locations or to other modes of travel. The trick is balancing any agenda / ulterior motives against real-world results. People will and do use virtual parking, aka free Metro park-and-ride lots + Metrolink, when they understand the advantages – equal or shorter travel times and equal or lower costs, especially for major events that increase parking costs and generate a lot of congested traffic. People will continue to drive and park themselves when it remains “more” convenient and appears to be “affordable” – free is great, but people will pay, up to a certain point, depending on both the destination and the time of day / day of the week. But when it comes to most retail and some restaurants, there remain many equal or better options that offer free parking.
One big change that would likely improve a lot of things would be to remove the control of on-street parking from the Treasurer and transfer it to the Streets Department. In Denver, Right-of-Way Management (formerly Parking Management, formerly Parking Control) is under the direction and control of the Public Works Department: http://parksmartdenver.com/. The primary focus in Denver is managing a scarce resource; the primary goal here seems to be generating revenue, only the focus is on quantity over quality. Having meters along a street like Grand, only to have free parking on the intersecting side streets, is silly. The gross revenues probably barely cover the cost of the equipment, maintenace and enforcement, whille serving to both scare away potential customers for the retail tenants and to irritate the residents on the side streets!
And finally, the concept that downtown residents should get free parking or have the ability to secure monthly parking passes – um, NO! Downtown residents already have the ability to obtain monthly parking, in both off-street garages and on surface lots, and this reality was a given when they / you chose to move downtown. In addition, downtown resident have a much-more-robust, heavily-taxpayer-subsidized transit infrastructure at their disposal than those of us who live outside the CBD. Some buildings offer parking, some do not – it was and is a choice and something that directly affects costs, both initially and on a monthly basis – if you don’t like it / it no longer works for you, then move! I have no more “right” to the spot in front of my SW city home than you do or should living downtown. It makes about as much sense as saying that the city should give me a free annual swim pass because I don’t have my own swimming pool!
Duncan, which I believe supplies St. Louis’ parking meters, does offer the option of accepting credit card payments at individual meters – http://www.duncansolutions.com/eagle2100.html and http://parkingfreedom.com/ – or the use of a stored-value “parking key” – http://www.duncansolutions.com/eagle2100.html – in addition to the standard, coin-only mechanisms. I’m pretty sure not offering the credit card or parking key options gets back to higher initial costs weighed against revenues actually generated.
How about consistent hours throughout the City. I hate going to the CWE and Midtown and having different hours. And more stringent enforcement for those that are repeat offenders (i.e. don’t pay the fines asap)
How about consistent hours throughout the City. I hate going to the CWE and Midtown and having different hours. And more stringent enforcement for those that are repeat offenders (i.e. don’t pay the fines asap)