AGENDA #2a
BUDGET WORKING PAPER
TO: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
FROM: Mary Lou Kuschatka, Transportation Director
SUBJECT: Parking Services Options for 2002-03
DATE: June 12, 2002
This memorandum addresses two fee options that could be considered for Parking Services for the upcoming year.
1. Increase the hourly rate for long term parking at the James C. Wallace Parking Deck and Lot 2 from $1.50 per hour (effective July 1), after 6 hours, to $1.80 per hour.
We propose to increase the rates for long term parking in the Parking Deck on East Rosemary Street and Lot 2 located at the corner of East Rosemary Street and North Columbia Street. The fee for parking in the Parking Deck and Lot 2 is billed in 30-minute increments and would be billed at 65 cents per 30 minutes or $1.30 per hour with the new rates.
We believe that an increase in the rates for longer-term parkers would:
· Encourage the use of transit.
· Discourage long-term parking in the lots.
· Preserve additional spaces for business use.
The proposed rate for 1 hour of parking at a parking meter would be $1.25 per hour.
The following table illustrates the current parking rates at Lot 2 and the James C. Wallace Parking Deck as well as the rates proposed for July 1, 2002 and the rates with an additional premium after 6 hours. After 6 hours the current rate now increases to $1.20 per hour. The following chart shows the cost after 6 hours should the rates increase to $1.50 or $1.80 per hour.
TIME |
CURRENT RATES INCREASE TO $1.20 AFTER 6 HOURS |
RATES EFF.JULY 1, 2002 INCREASE TO $1.50 AFTER 6 HOURS |
RATES WITH INCREASE TO $1.80 AFTER 6 HOURS |
|
0-1 HRS |
1.00 |
1.30 |
1.30 |
|
1-2 HRS |
2.00 |
2.60 |
2.60 |
|
2-3 HRS |
3.00 |
3.90 |
3.90 |
|
3-4 HRS |
4.00 |
5.20 |
5.20 |
|
4-5 HRS |
5.00 |
6.50 |
6.50 |
|
5-6 HRS |
6.00 |
7.80 |
7.80 |
|
6-7 HRS |
7.20 |
9.30 |
9.60 |
|
7-8 HRS |
8.40 |
10.80 |
11.40 |
|
8-9 HRS |
9.60 |
12.30 |
13.20 |
|
9-10 HRS |
10.80 |
13.80 |
15.00 |
|
10-11HRS |
12.00 |
15.30 |
16.80 |
|
11-12 HRS |
13.20 |
16.80 |
18.60 |
|
12-13 HRS |
14.40 |
18.30 |
20.40 |
|
13-14 HRS |
15.60 |
19.80 |
22.20 |
|
14-15 HRS |
16.80 |
21.30 |
24.00 |
|
15-16 HRS |
18.00 |
22.80 |
25.80 |
|
16-17 HRS |
*19.20 |
*24.30 |
*27.60 |
2. We recommend an additional $2.00 peak period charge for parking in Lot 2 or the Parking Deck if the vehicle parks before 10:00 a.m. and departs after 2:00 p.m. on weekdays.
We believe that long-term parkers are limiting the capacity for short term parking in the Parking Deck and Lot 2 during the peak period from 10:00 a.m.until 2:00 p.m. The Parking Deck and Lot 2 reach capacity between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon on weekdays. Persons entering the lots after 10:00 a.m. and leaving before 2:00 p.m. would not be charged the additional $2.00 fee.
3. Other Parking Considerations That Will Be Addressed in the fall
The staff was asked to look at the possibility of reconfiguring Lot 5, located at the corner of West Rosemary and Church Streets, in order to provide public access to the Franklin St. portion of the lot. We believe the lot can be reconfigured but additional work needs to be completed before a workable plan can be brought forward. We plan to report back to the Council in the fall.
Evaluation of Smart Cards and Vending Systems
We are continuing to obtain information about the smart cards technology. One of the concerns is that not all of the meters are able to accept smart cards. Of the 300 meters in use today, 90 do not have the ability to accept the smart cards. The ability to buy and add value to the smart cards at the parking lots as well as the parking services office needs to be evaluated.
We are also evaluating automated vending systems to find the one that would be the most feasible to use in a location such as Lot 5. There are several issues, including security and payment methods, that need to be fully explored before a recommendation can be made.
We will report back to Council in the fall with recommendations.