Downtown Raleigh parking

[Eastwestrob]

I don't think Raleigh has a parking problem at all. In fact I'm always taken back by the limited number of people dowtown and the amount of parking available. In my opinion we need to develope some of the parking lots in Raleigh.

I've lived in both Portland and Seattle and they seem (I don't have actual data) to have significantly less parking dowtown. On top of that it is not uncommon in Seattle or Portland to pay $15-20 to park dowtown for an extended period of time (several hours). Both cities do offer superior public transporation, however. Just a different philosophy on transportation in the Pacific Northwest.

Thats not too bad...I have had to pay $50-60 in San Francisco

[Jones_]

Agreed....there is not a parking problem downtown, just a problem with people who can't read signs or otherwise figure out how to find a spot. I never even have to use a parking deck at night. I guess if there was one single issue with parking (and it really isn't imo) its that all the parking decks (generally speaking)are in proximity to office buildings but not night time hangouts....510 and powerhouse I know of course and wilmington Street and Moore Square decks serve that side of town also but the warehouse district does not have one very close.....the real problem is the development patterns of the last 25 years and the mindsets that accompany those patterns.

[pdxheel]

Thats not too bad...I have had to pay $50-60 in San Francisco

Yeah..I've been to SFO several times and had to pay that. I feel for you!

[Subway Scoundrel]

I think it is a big jump for the usual strip center parker who pulls right up in the fire lane at the local Kroger who is not "trained" to go look for parking that is not right in front. In time, people will learn that they must walk a short distance and that parking decks are not "bad."

It will come in time. I think North Hills is training many surbanites since it has a deck. But the strip center mentality rules due to surbubia nature. More education on downtown decks would help.

Again, I went to times bar the other night and noticed how the street parking around Slims was full . I use to always be able to find a place to park on the street. Pulled right into the First Union/Wachovia deck and was parked, on the street, and in the bar in moments.

I guess all it takes is training and time. Maybe they should run "Parking decks are your friend Ads"

[ChiefJoJo]

I've lived in both Portland and Seattle and they seem (I don't have actual data) to have significantly less parking dowtown. On top of that it is not uncommon in Seattle or Portland to pay $15-20 to park dowtown for an extended period of time (several hours). Both cities do offer superior public transporation, however.

Higher parking costs and good transit go hand in hand. We have neither, so there's plenty of parking. Literally thousands of spaces. It really is a different mindset for the typical suburban driver. They are used to driving 50 feet from their destination instead of parking in a structure, taking a ticket (or not), and walking a couple of blocks. And don't try to get these people to parallel park! The more time you spend in your car, the more it becomes addictive. I've discovered that ever since I moved DT two years ago, I actually don't like to make trips in my car if I can walk somewhere instead. I've even walked to the Rialto at Five Pts from DT because I just felt like it and it was a pretty nice day. It truly becomes habit forming if you consistently take only one mode of transportation.

[JDC]

Is that what the problem is? People just don't understand what a parking garage is for? That explains so much.

If you don't like parking, don't drive or change your attitude about public transportation.

[dmccall]

I think Subway Scoundrel is onto something. One of the positives I touted about NH's design at the NIMBY meeting was that it could be a model for a new paradigm of suburban development. With Lady Lazy getting used to parking in a deck and escalating up to being a few feet from her destination, she now knows she doesn't have to see it to know she's near it.

Case in point: I parked in the NH deck and went to Chick-Fil-A. It took 144 steps to get to the front door, not many more than it takes when I park at the Crossroads Chick-Fil-A, and CERTAINLY not any different than finding a hard-to-find spot in Cameron Village for the Village Deli.

We parked in that deck off Wilm. St. on Sat night, too. Not bad at all. The only person we encountered was a cop on a bicycle. It will be nicer when they open up both sides of Wilm and Salisbury Sts to parallel parking.

[ncwebguy]

The Downtown Raleigh Alliance (or a subset of just its restaurants and bars) needs to duplicate the 518 model -- customer education. They don't have to offer free valet parking, but if they can do that, so much the better. Give out a parking map with every bill for a month or so. Let the restaurant customize them with a "you are here, we recommend you park here" stamp to meet their personal needs.

The Alexander Square deck (the only above ground deck inside the Wilmington/Salisbury corridor until RBC is built) can handle Times Bar, the Kitchen, Est Est Est, Cafe Carolina and American Pita staying open later, the Capitol Room, and then some by itself. The Moore Square Station deck can handle Slims, and the 200 block of Fayetville Street -- Martin Street Music Hall, Port City Java, the restaurant going into the old Hardees, whatever ends up in the old McCroy's building, etc.

There needs to be bright, animated LCD (neon would be retro cool, but may not stand the test of time) STANDARDIZED parking signs. The white on green P is great during the day, but not so good at night. The Powerhouse square, municipal building, Progress II, Moore Square, etc. all have a different sign from parking, which all are different than the white on blue signs scattered around downtown.

[Subway Scoundrel]

Is that what the problem is? People just don't understand what a parking garage is for? That explains so much.

If you don't like parking, don't drive or change your attitude about public transportation.

I wish it was that simple but I do think, many or most people, are so used to parking in large surface lots, they don't think about decks and locations or see decks as costing money. I know people on this forum understand where to park but does the average person in the Triangle? Where to find the lots? How much and when?

I use to cringe when I heard Meeker talk about people's complaints on parking DT and I use to say "Make them pay!" or "They should learn" but I now see it a s true issue of continued DT growth.

That is where education, bright parking signs, etc come in. And some practice in NHs just helps.

Or, they could just stay away from DT and we could watch DT quit growing. I think, and I could be wrong, that correct education/signs/maps/plan is better than "Stay away." The simple reason about saying "Stay Away" is,........ "They Will !"

[pack-man]

The problem is that people don't have a clue downtown as to what they are doing. Everyone here thinks that parking should be free. People would actually prefer to illegally park in a surface lot and risk getting towed/ticket than pull into a deck where they know that they have to pay for sure. It is funny to watch people do this DT. Once DT has stuff that people have to come here for, they won't mind paying. But until then, a lot of people refuse to do it.

As for the parking itself. The parking spaces are plenty. It is just a matter of making people aware of these parking structures. I'm sure this will come with all the improvements that are taking place downtown. The new underground deck is going to be state of the art too.

[sax184]

Perception. DT Raleigh is one of the most over-parked places in the state. I've never had trouble parking for FREE in Raleigh on a weekend night. During the day, yes, I pay, but trouble finding a space? Never. Those who have mentioned the conditioning of suburbia are absolutely right. So many people don't know how to live without driving to places and parknig right in front of them. These people will be the least adaptable to $5/gallon gas.

[DanRNC]

I have never paid for parking in downtown Raleigh. People that can't find parking downtown are blind or just lacking in basic skills IQ.

[pack-man]

Its also great that the city doesn't charge for parking in any of their facilities after 7pm Which makes coming downtown for the evening free if only people could figure out how to use their legs.

[krazeeboi]

Not sure what Raleigh's situation is, but I'm sure it can't even come close to parking in Midtown Atlanta. No such things as free parking in garages, or on surface lots, there. You need a separate fund just to park.

[Justin6882]

The results to the TBJ question were posted today. Looks like about 46% of people who responded said that parking issues "Absolutely" keep them from coming downtown. What a crock.

oh, and check out this quote:

"I used to go [downtown]a lot more before condos were built on all the parking lots. Now I go very rarely."

Hopefully the people in the condos that were built make up for the fact that they no longer visit downtown

[bdp]

^^ that has to be one of the stupidest things I have ever read... (the quote from TBJ I mean) it makes no sense. People never cease to amaze me... I never have problems parking downtown. Ever. I can walk a block or two if I have to, and often I choose to, as I enjoy it. I think DRA should do some sort of locally run commercial, showing how easy it is to park downtown and walk to your cool places... Dmmcall is much better at laying out cheesy scenarios for this sort of thing thing than I am, but I could see a really corny commercial showing a group of people in a car going downtown, some crab in the back beotching that there is no where to park, the driver saying 'oh look, a free parking deck, and we are only half a block away!!' they exit the car, walk across the street, into Yancy's or wherever, giving the crabby complainer a hard time, and proceed to have a blast. then a voiceover details all the free parking after hours around town. people are dumb (as you can see from the TBJ poll) and need to have every little thing spelled out for them. I think it would go over quite well... now, how to pay for it...

[ChiefJoJo]

Hey, they used my quote:

"There are thousands of spaces for the public to use, and all it requires is the most un-American trait of all: a short walk to your destination."

I can't believe that quote about condos on parking lots.

[DanRNC]

people are dumb (as you can see from the TBJ poll) and need to have every little thing spelled out for them. I think it would go over quite well... now, how to pay for it...

You have discovered the holy grail. The TBJ poll designers aren't too bright either. They always subdivide one set of responses and don't subdivide the other response to skew the polls. I have a feeling they may do this on purpose (so maybe they are a little more intelligent than I think they are). Take the new lottery poll they have.

Will you play the lottery?

a. yes

b. no

c. no, the lottery is disgusting I will never play.

Guess what, I bet the TBJ supports the lottery. This should have been a yes/no poll.

Their polls are also leading.

[dmccall]

You have discovered the holy grail. The TBJ poll designers aren't too bright either. They always subdivide one set of responses and don't subdivide the other response to skew the polls. I have a feeling they may do this on purpose (so maybe they are a little more intelligent than I think they are). Take the new lottery poll they have.

Will you play the lottery?

a. yes

b. no

c. no, the lottery is disgusting I will never play.

Guess what, I bet the TBJ supports the lottery. This should have been a yes/no poll.

Their polls are also leading.

That's a good point...and anyone who votes "C" is just a Bible beating, judemental, invasive conservative - no mention of being against it for the disgusting odds in the face of better gaming options than remain illegal here. (I hope you all saw my article on this at Raleighing. These scratch tickets are some big-time bad math that slant the table worse than any big corporation could ever get by with)

[ncwebguy]

The "taking away parking spaces" comment probably came from someone who hast to go to the city muncipal center on a somewhat regular basis. Maybe a subdivision builder or Wake Co. "taxpayer association" member who subscribes to TBJ and doesn't touch the N&O. Why? The only two condo developments that have taken parking spaces from downtown are right across Dawson from City Hall.

With more condos proposed for the last surface lot left, they might have to park in the city deck that has easy access to the building, or a little further down Hargett. Boo hoo. I used to pay for a space in those lots (where Park Dev is, then Bradshaw Realty) and at least once every three months someone helped themselves to my space. This meant I had to pay twice for parking that day, but that's ok since free parking is their "right", at the expense of my right to use what I've already paid for.

[avery]

There is plenty of parking in downtown. People are just lazy and don't like messing with parking garages. They want to be able to pull right up to the front door.

[JDC]

I like that quote about the "most un-American trait of all". So true though.

[pack-man]

I think parking is headed in the right direction in DT raleigh. With the new projects on the horizon, there will be way too many places to park, which is a good thing. People need to just get over the fact that parking isn't free. Especially during the day. We will have to wait and see if the city starts charging for parking at night again. It is something I can see happening once DT becomes stable again. Also, I see towing coming back once Meeker dips out.

[ncwebguy]

I would rather have obvious paid parking than predatory towing any day (or night)!

Towing punishes people who don't know what they are doing a lot more than those who are trying to get something for nothing. I had friends who did not come downtown for years because they got towed from a lot that had a sign in a non-obvious place, and there were other cars already parked in the same lot as well.

Tying the success of downtown to not having tow trucks watching for their next victim should be obvious to any sensible mayor, but that may be asking too much.

[citiboi27610]

I like the new signs vs. the parking meters the city now utilized. Its great not having to search for change especially when you're only stopping into chik-fila or cvs or any other shop just for a couple of minutes. As far as the lots go, many of them need to be paved, and there should be clear entrances and exits, these are where the signs should be, pointing to the permit machine. Some of the lots have too many entrance points so signage is heard. Park in a deck if you're unsure.