Downtown parking meets demand but not expectations
Lea Steele takes money from a customer at the Center in the Square parking lot in downtown Roanoke. JEANNA DUERSCHERL | The Roanoke Times
If you missed today’s story on parking in downtown Roanoke, click here to read it.
When I set out to write this story I wanted to find out exactly how much parking we have in downtown Roanoke and how we much we use it. I obtained occupancy data on the city garages and surface lots from PARK Roanoke, the city entity that oversees parking. On street parking utilization isn’t tracked.
What I found is that we have a lot of parking and we don’t come close to using all of it. There are nearly 8,000 parking spaces downtown. That includes city owned garages and surface lots, free on street parking, and spaces in some 30 public lots owned by private businesses.
Of course, not all of the garages are convenient to where you’re going. That explains the low occupancy rates at the new Campbell Avenue garage across from the police department. (I suspect that when residents begin moving into the Lofts at West Station that garage will see more use.) And yes, most times you have to pay to park there. Roanoke’s all-day parking rate of $6 is among the cheapest in the country, according to a 2010 survey by the National Parking Association.
And sure, not all of the 664, free on street parking spaces are near the farmer’s market and the Roanoke City Market Building. But, as city manager Chris Morrill and several others pointed out, how far do you walk to get to your destination when you park at the mall? (The only difference is that you won’t get a parking ticket at the mall.)
So if you’re willing to pay and/or walk, there is plenty of parking.
There’s much more information in the story, including the points below about free and discounted parking.
- Free and discounted parking in Roanoke
- Free parking at all city parking locations on Sundays
- Free parking Saturdays at all city locations until 4 p.m.
- Free parking after 5 p.m. at the Elmwood Park Garage, Williamson Road lot, Elmwood Park lot and Warehouse Row lot
- Free parking for SmartWay riders Monday through Friday at the Gainsboro Garage
- Free parking in the 664 on-street, timed parking spaces
- $1 “lunch special” parking in the Market Lot from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- 50 percent discount at the Gainsboro Garage and Higher Education lots for students enrolled in classes at the Higher Education Center
October 2, 2011 - 5:00 AM
Its not a perception problem. People are well aware of the parking garages, especially the new ones we spent so much on. It’s more a leadership problem. Build it they will come, we know whats best for you, look what we do for you, its the public’s fault. Leadership is the problem. Start with Luther, he needs to go.
Good article! I’ve changed my thinking. In preparing for the article, did you find out how many spaces are now reserved for those living downtown?
@David: I should have asked for that number. I can try to find out on Monday. I do know that in talking with the city they feel like they (and the private garages) have plenty of room to accommodate downtown residents. The city offers a residential parking permit, which is only 25 percent of the cost of a monthly parking pass.
My only issue ( and I have no problem paying to park) is the simple fact that the most centrally located garage – Center in the Square (which is also the smallest garage) is now consumed by more residential parking that open public parking. I would like to see more businesses offer parking validation, especially for dinner – although this can be challenging when half the lots are not owned by the city. Even the big cities do this to encourage people downtown. A lunch time rate ( or even free from 11 to 2) would also be great. Downtown Roanoke has a lot to offer, but if everyone views it as difficult all the renovations are for naught.
@Teresa: Thanks for the comment. Just wanted to let you know that the Market parking lot, at the corner of Kirk Avenue and Williamson Road, has a “lunch special” rate of $1 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (I think, though, that you were saying that you’d like the CIS garage to offer a lunch rate).
One of the biggest problems with parklng downtown is the abuse of spaces by residences and business owners! I own a business on Campbell and I watch them move they’re vehicles all day long, most of the time right back to the same spot! It should be against the law. It seems everyone is looking the other way! Infuriates me as a business owner, especially when a vehical is big enough to hide my whole shop, when I depend on som walk-in business and my shop is hidden all day, illegally by some huge vehicle!
Do the residents at the 132 apartment Patrick Henry park in the garage next door? The 72 unit, The Lofts, where will those residents park? As more and more people move downtown, demand will continue to increase and, even if there is no current problem parking downtown, there will be one.
@david: A spokeswoman for the Patrick Henry said residents buy the residential permit to park at any of the city’s garages. The one next door, across from the library, is privately owned. As for the Lofts, the closest parking garage is the Campbell Avenue garage, across the street. I’ll call the city today to see if I can get an answer to your question about how many residential parking permits are active.
@david: I’m back with an answer to your question about how many downtown residents park in garages, and whether those spaces are reserved for them. Debbie Moses, the city’s parking coordinator, tells me that PARK Roanoke has 258 active residential passes. (That’s a little less than half of all downtown residents, according to the 2010 census, and keep in mind that some residents might use privately-owned garages, have parking at their apartment or included in their lease, or may not have cars). While the resident must choose which garage they will use, they do not have a reserved space, Moses said.
Your article does quote a lot of figures. However I wonder where the 29 handicap spaces are and what physical area that covers. Again, we are interested in the area around the Market Building. This afternoon I observed a Brinks truck parked in the haandicap space at the corner of Campbell and Wall street for over half an hour and the Enforcement Officer riding by and allowing this. Maybe we need better enforcement by our City of Roanoke Officers. I guess we don’t live in a perfect world but if everyone did his/her job it would be better.
@Roy Lindamood: I’ll see if I can get more detailed information for you about the location of the handicap spaces.
@ Teresa – as an FYI, the Center in the Square Garage has 203 total spaces, and only 20 of those spaces are reserved for downtown residents. As a percentage, the City leaves more spaces open for daily parking than monthly/residential parking than any other deck.
@Roy Lindamood: I took your question and comment to Debbie Moses, the city’s parking coordinator. Here is her response:
Timed parking spaces may be utilized by H/C parkers with tags/hangtag for up to 4 hours. So all parking around the Market Building is available for this extended period to H/C users.After reviewing past utilization of H/C spaces at that location , it was obvious that these previously signed spaces were being used for long term parking thus taking away the ability for other H/C persons to make use of these spaces. Adding a maximum number of timed spaces around this building at least gives H/C parkers a better chance of finding an open space.
In the vicinity of the Market Building there are two marked H/C spaces ( by the Weiner Stand and 202 Market)as well as spaces on the Norfolk Av side of the Taubman. The greatest challenge to making these spaces work well is not the lack of spaces but rather how they are used. When long term parkers claim them for all day parking, the spaces cease to function as they are intended for others who need access to these spaces. Just as a reminder,the first hour of parking in our garages is free to H/C drivers who have H/C tags/hangtag.
Regarding the misuse of a H/C space by a Brinks truck, enforcement relates that on that day the officer working that area was on foot because of mechanical issues with his vehicle. This could have delayed his working of the enforcement route but failure to ticket this sort of infraction would
never be intentional. We do indeed ticket these infractions and the
details of this comment have been forwarded to them for their use. We appreciate extra sets of eyes!
Amanda–thanks so much for your extra effort to get these answers. You do a great service for the public. I will say that both my wife and I observed an enforcement officer ride by on his scooter–twice he turned up Wall St behind this Brinks truck and once passed it going up Campbell Ave. However, you can only go on the info you are given. Now we will use this information and try to cope with conditions as they are. Thanks again for you efforts.
@Roy Lindamood: Glad to help
I am a business owner in Downtown Roanoke and I also park monthly in the City owned lot on the corner of Kirk and Williamson Road and just learned by reading this blog that this parking lot offers a $1 luncheon special rate from 11 to 3! Where is this advertised? I am not sure how patrons are supposed to pay one dollar and not get a ticket!! This lot is checked throughout the day and tickets are lots of tickets are issued. Can you explain how this special works for the patron. WE NEED MORE ADVERTISING!! There are City owned parking garages that offer free parking on certain days, but HOW IS THIS ADVERTISED? Each lot should have appropriate signage explaining these deals. Same for the “Free” Trolley!!! How do our visitors know that this is a free service?
@Concerned Citizen: When I reported this story it was apparent that many business owners didn’t know about the things you mentioned, or the validation program. I let the city parking folks know that. They said they thought they could do a better job getting the information out. Also, they told me that signage is something that they are working on improving.
If you’re looking for more info on garages and free parking, DRI has info on their website (and an interactive map).