Lynchburg Business

Parking Downtown: What’s the Solution to a “Growing” Dilemma?

Issue: July 2010 by Mitchell Malcheff in Inside The Magazine, Real Estate

Newton’s law of motion states: “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” That familiar phrase aptly applies to Lynchburg’s revitalized downtown. In this case, the equal and opposite reaction to all the growth downtown is experiencing is a parking problem. In an effort to generate turnover and alleviate traffic congestion, the city parking authority is moving ahead with plans for a paid parking system.

Duncan Solutions, a Wisconsin-based company, has been hired to build and install pay machines for both on and off-street paid parking. In a June 1 meeting, the city parking authority met with Edmund Booher, a Duncan representative that has worked with cities across the country to curb parking problems. Tentative plans were made for the on-street parking issues, though no timetable is yet in place for the switch from free parking to paid. The earliest installation of on-street paid parking will begin next spring and will depend on the availability of funds. Rates were not set at the meeting but members were in agreement that on-street rates would be higher than on the mid-town deck (the parking deck currently adjoining the Bank of the James building on Main Street). The current deck rate is $1 per hour and $5 per day.

One likely outcome of the meeting was a veto of any free parking, which members of the parking authority had proposed. According to City Parking Manager, Norman Hale, the cost to program the machines would be close to $10,000 each and there would be no way to prevent people from abusing the system. Booher also said that other cities have tried to work free parking into their systems but have been unsuccessful.

However, there will likely be free periods of parking, such as after 5 p.m. or on the weekends, though no concrete plans were made. The on-street parking will not be metered; rather, a kiosk will be located in the middle of each block. The system will be paperless and will only take credit or debit cards, eliminating the need for patrons to lug around change.

Hale said the city may also consider further parking decks in the future.

“The city’s overall plan is to look at whenever the demand is there and the revenue is there…we’ll look at the various areas of the city to best analyze where to locate the next parking deck when and if that time occurs,” Hale said. “I think for the interim period right now we just have to wait and see how the development goes as the developers develop their property.”

One of those developers is Ralph “Chopper” Wilson. Wilson owns both the Parlor Lofts and Market on Main and is currently renovating the Waterfalls building on Main Street. Like all downtown businesses, Wilson hopes that paid parking will create turnover but recognizes that too high of a fee could have the opposite effect.

“I think if the fee is low it wouldn’t be a problem. If it’s a reasonable fee, it would help to control parking to where you would have good turnover,” Wilson said.

Downtown businesses are not the only stakeholders with a vested interest in seeing the parking problem cleared up. Charlotte Allen has lived in one of Wilson’s lofts across from the Main St. Eatery since last August. During that time, Allen said she has seen traffic significantly increase as Market on Main has grown in popularity.

“If one significant event can create that, what’s going to happen when more significant events happen downtown and parking is not in place or some sort of plan is not in place?” Allen said.

Allen was a city councilwoman in Bedford during the ‘80s and knows that any decision like the one the city parking authority is making will not please everyone.

“When I was on city council in Bedford, we made one street one-way and you would have thought that we had just created the worst thing that could ever have happened,” Allen said.

Allen also said that any system the city creates must be self-sufficient and the parking authority has stated that is their goal. They project the system will generate enough revenue to cover all of its costs and plan to invest any additional funds into the downtown area rather than channel it back into the General Fund.

Hale is in the process of scheduling 10 upcoming public meetings to discuss the parking problem on not just Main Street but the rest of downtown as well. He is hoping to hold two meetings each to talk about proposed parking changes to Commerce, Jefferson and Court Streets that will allow the public to voice their opinion.

Though public opinion may be divided on the best way to solve the parking puzzle, both the public and downtown stakeholders will have a say in whatever plan the city parking authority ultimately rubber stamps. And if the pieces fit together correctly, Allen believes that an already bustling downtown can grow even more.

“There are a lot of people that have come in and said, ‘This was worth me investing my money and time into making this into a better place,’” Allen said. “If the city doesn’t come back…and provide the infrastructure, it’s going to turn into a ghost town and I think it’s just on the cusp of breaking wide open. It’s going to be a huge positive.”