Do Downtown Augusta Business Owners Want Parking Meters? (Reynolds: living, restaurants)

[amlovingit]

"What they really need to do is build a parking deck on Broad Street. I would love it if they would tear down this old Sky City building and build us a parking deck," Bricker said.


Do Downtown Augusta Business Owners Want Parking Meters? - WJBF-TV ABC 6 Augusta-Aiken

[GRU_Minion]

There definitely needs to be a public parking deck either on Broad or between Broad and Ellis on a side street. The TEE Center deck might be all shiny and new, but it's too far from Broad for people to want to park there and walk to where most of the downtown business and night life is.

In addition to that, and even before that happens, I am *all for* parking meters on Broad WITH a caveat. Either numbered spaces with pay "stations" placed up and down Broad or traditional meters. But BOTH options absolutely need to have electronic payment options from your mobile device. Look to Asheville for a great implementation of this. You can pay with a text message or with an app once you set it up...or you can pay the traditional ways. There are too many people (workers, business owners, residents) who park in spaces on the street or in the parking wells for LOOOONG periods of time. Meters and good enforcement (which would also help with the perception of safety downtown) would improve the parking situation down there tremendously, I think.

[PJA]

Originally Posted by GRU_Minion

There definitely needs to be a public parking deck either on Broad or between Broad and Ellis on a side street. The TEE Center deck might be all shiny and new, but it's too far from Broad for people to want to park there and walk to where most of the downtown business and night life is.

In addition to that, and even before that happens, I am *all for* parking meters on Broad WITH a caveat. Either numbered spaces with pay "stations" placed up and down Broad or traditional meters. But BOTH options absolutely need to have electronic payment options from your mobile device. Look to Asheville for a great implementation of this. You can pay with a text message or with an app once you set it up...or you can pay the traditional ways. There are too many people (workers, business owners, residents) who park in spaces on the street or in the parking wells for LOOOONG periods of time. Meters and good enforcement (which would also help with the perception of safety downtown) would improve the parking situation down there tremendously, I think.

I concur, especially about the parking deck on Broad. One would especially be good near the Augusta Common area. As far as parking meters, I think it could work however there are those that are very opposed.

Insider: The never-ending downtown parking debate | Metro SpiritMetro Spirit

[sartree]

The TEE center deck is maybe 300 feet from Broad.

[tckr83]

This has been tried before... the effects on downtown and its businesses were negative. So, why try it again? Downtown Augusta isn't downtown Asheville, apples to oranges, at least from my personal experience. Time to think outside the box and build a few small parking decks on Broad in place of vacant store fronts while we still can. May be too late for upper Broad, unless the old Bazaar was bought and built upon.

[PJA]

Originally Posted by sartree

The TEE center deck is maybe 300 feet from Broad.

I actually see both sides. I think if the parking deck were more centrally located on Reynolds then it would get more usage. The part of Broad that it's closest to isn't where most of the restaurants and bars are. The fact of the matter is Augusta is car centered area and most people want to park where its convenient, and while there are a growing number "urban enthusiasts" in the city, I still think we need to make sure we don't alienate the car drivers. There aren't enough people living downtown yet to support these businesses without relying on customers who drive. I guess some kind of balance needs to be struck.

[GRU_Minion]

Originally Posted by tckr83

This has been tried before... the effects on downtown and its businesses were negative. So, why try it again? Downtown Augusta isn't downtown Asheville, apples to oranges, at least from my personal experience. Time to think outside the box and build a few small parking decks on Broad in place of vacant store fronts while we still can. May be too late for upper Broad, unless the old Bazaar was bought and built upon.

If you build a parking deck (or decks) on Broad that you have to pay for and *don't* put in meters or make it some sort of paid parking for the on-street parking you will only end up with MORE congested street parking and empty parking decks not being paid for. At the absolute least the street parking should be metered at least before 8pm. After that until 5 or 6am it can be free.

[tckr83]

Were you here the last time meters were implemented?

They were very unpopular and drove away a lot of business from downtown... There's a reason why they were removed. You gotta park somewhere, i'd much rather pay a dollar or two for a secured parking deck with cover from weather than a random parking spot in the middle of traffic.

[GRU_Minion]

Originally Posted by tckr83

Were you here the last time meters were implemented?

They were very unpopular and drove away a lot of business from downtown... There's a reason why they were removed. You gotta park somewhere, i'd much rather pay a dollar or two for a secured parking deck with cover from weather than a random parking spot in the middle of traffic.

Again, a shiny new deck gets built and parking is still free on Broad, you will have another parking deck that sits largely unused just like the one built for the TEE Center.

[tckr83]

Originally Posted by GRU_Minion

Again, a shiny new deck gets built and parking is still free on Broad, you will have another parking deck that sits largely unused just like the one built for the TEE Center.

There are only so many parking spots on Broad... If given the option to park in a deck or on ellis street bc parking is full or simply because the deck is closer to my destination than parking on a lesser parallel street... I'm taking the deck every time for security and other reasons i've listed.