Parking Downtown

[matt]

Providence's Relaxed Parking Program for the Holiday Season to Get Underway

Mayor David N. Cicilline announced today that the City

[runawayjim]

I was downtown this weekend, and I did not see any signage to acknowledge this program. I saw countless people feeding the meters.

Two thoughts:

Is the program intended such that you should feed the meter, but don't worry if you can't get out of the stores soon enough to replenish said meter.

Or

Is the program really just to lure people downtown to spend money in Providence?

If the latter is true, and one doesn't need to pay the meters at all, shouldn't there be some signs?

[matt]

when i went downtown for the GC:PVD meeting, some guy told me that this program was in effect as i was feeding the meter. luckily, it was one of the multi space meters so i got my money out.

i think the idea is to lure people downtown, but if there's no signs, the city can still make money off people feeding the meters.

[runawayjim]

So how good a job can it be doing if the only way people hear about it is through City News?

[quente]

I was downtown this weekend, and I did not see any signage to acknowledge this program. I saw countless people feeding the meters.

[Cotuit]

[matt]

Just to put that all in perspective...

[Frankie811]

Early in his first term, Mayor David Cicilline brought street parking in Providence into the 21st Century. He hopes in his second term to push public transit. He should apply the same energy to solve a related problem

[runawayjim]

Early in his first term, Mayor David Cicilline brought street parking in Providence into the 21st Century. He hopes in his second term to push public transit. He should apply the same energy to solve a related problem

[tangorre]

Well, there is definately a need for more parking capacity in the city. What I think needs to be pushed for is consolidation, instead of having 30 surface lots holding 30-40 cars there should be 5-6 parking garages holding several hundred. Preferably, located near the gateways of the city to stem congestion on downcity's little streets.

I would like to see the city put a heavy tax/penalty on any surface lot that doesn't have their development plans underway within 6 months or something like that. I don't know what the legality of something like that would be but I'd like to see the result.

[matt]

Well, there is definately a need for more parking capacity in the city. What I think needs to be pushed for is consolidation, instead of having 30 surface lots holding 30-40 cars there should be 5-6 parking garages holding several hundred. Preferably, located near the gateways of the city to stem congestion on downcity's little streets.

I would like to see the city put a heavy tax/penalty on any surface lot that doesn't have their development plans underway within 6 months or something like that. I don't know what the legality of something like that would be but I'd like to see the result.

[JimmyGreaves]

The Journal has published two articles in the Metro Section covering complaints about the city's stepped up enforcement of parking violations. They specifically cite the regulation prohibiting parking 25 feet from the corner (which reduces the visibility of both peds and drivers). Business owners are worried about lost business.

Councilpeople are getting complaints from residents (as an aside, there was not a balanced view from those business owners and residents that may favor the new enforcement but that's another story).

Councilman Lombardi wants the enforcement to stop until a Parking Commission is formed and establishes a comprehensive strategy. My favorite quote was from Councilman Aponte:

We should not be enforcing laws that have not been enforced for years.

[Cotuit]

They specifically cite the regulation prohibiting parking 25 feet from the corner (which reduces the visibility of both peds and drivers). Business owners are worried about lost business.

[JimmyGreaves]

The state regulation is 30 feet and no one seems to know if the state regulation is the one that should stand (since municipal regulations cannot supersede state ones), or if there is some agreement between the city and state buried in some file cabinet somewhere that allows Providence to use 25 feet.

[runawayjim]

30 feet is actually not unheard of. my fiancee got a ticket for parking within 30 feet of a corner in philly. she just paid it, but from where her car was, she saw at least 4 or 5 other cars all parked to the corner.

i don't agree with the mindset that we should not enforce laws that have remained ignored for years. if it's a law, it should be enforced, especially when it concerns the safety of pedestrians and drivers alike. hopefully they'll start enforcing the 25 foot rule on atwells... that'll make it a whole lot easier for me to get out of my street (one way to atwells, i don't have any other way to go).

if people really want to complain, they should obey the law and bring it up with their state reps/senators and their city councilperson. get it changed the proper way. i don't know what lombardi is talking about. they already have parking enforcement officers, who i assume work for the police. is there anything wrong with allowing the parking enforcement officers do their job until we have some other commission take care of it?

[Frankie811]

From projo blog. The Rhode Island Convention Center Authority voted this morning to raise the price of parking at its three downtown lots, part of a trend that is straining the budgets of commuters and visitors to the capital city.

The independent agency voted unanimously to raise the price of 24-hour monthly parking by 11 percent, from $184 to $195. Event parking is going up, too, from $8 to $9. The convention center authority controls 2,515 spaces, about 40 percent of all downtown parking.

[DavidSegal]

The ability of the state to lease or sell the Garrahy parking lot to a garage developer has been affirmed in the budget. It's an ideal site, based on the way it interacts with the roads that border it -- shouldn't need a subsidy. Now we need to push through the bureaucracy. Please start agitating!

[runawayjim]

The ability of the state to lease or sell the Garrahy parking lot to a garage developer has been affirmed in the budget. It's an ideal site, based on the way it interacts with the roads that border it -- shouldn't need a subsidy. Now we need to push through the bureaucracy. Please start agitating!

[Cotuit]

which lot is this?

[JimmyGreaves]

Check out these meeting minutes from the December 15, 2005, Downtown Providence District Management Authority

Board Meeting. Select page 10 of the .pdf file and read item #10. It discusses the following:

work with the City Planners office to develop a comprehensive plan for parking in the Downtown area