[OMS_MANAGERS] Free parking in Downtown?

[Downtown Bend, OR]

Thanks, Evan.  This is great information.

Have a wonderful day,
Mindy Aisling
Executive Director
--------------------

*Downtown Bend Business Association*
Talk or Text - 541-788-3628    www.downtownbend.org
916 NW Wall Street in Downtown Bend Oregon

*We are a nonprofit committed to increasing the vitality of Downtown Bend.*





On Mon, May 13, 2019 at 5:08 PM Manvel, Evan via OMS_MANAGERS <
oms_managers at listsmart.osl.state.or.us> wrote:

> Mindy,
>
>
>
> Parking is a favorite topic of ours at the Transportation and Growth
> Management program.
>
>
>
> A few quick notes:
>
> -          Parking meters were created in Oklahoma City in 1935 by
> businesses interested in encouraging customer turnover.
>
> -          From experience across the country, it seems most customers
> would rather to pay a bit to have a spot free near where they are going
> than to have to spend lots of time searching for a spot
>
> -          Parking management consultants usually call for using time
> limits and pricing to make sure roughly 85% of spaces are full to optimize
> parking, as that means roughly one-two spaces are free each block.
>
> -          I’d recommend skimming “the High Cost of Free Parking” though
> it’s 700+ pages long, it’s a quick read. Chapter one is here:
> http://shoup.bol.ucla.edu/Chapter1.pdf. Another of Shoup’s writings is
> here:
> https://www.dropbox.com/s/ny7kt9jnfzmt5fy/ParkingPriceTherapy.pdf?dl=0
>  and a host of it is here https://www.shoupdogg.com/publications/
>
>
>
> For those interested in parking resources, we’ve got a web page full of
> them:
>
> https://www.oregon.gov/lcd/TGM/Pages/Parking.aspx
>
>
>
> As far as to your immediate question - In short, the transition may be
> hard and involve customers complaining – but in the end, businesses are
> likely to gain if they are businesses people like to go to. A dollar or two
> for convenient parking is not usually the difference between customers
> coming and not when someone is going to a $30 dinner or buying a $80 dress,
> or even stopping for an $8 lunch. Having some free parking on the edges may
> be useful for those who would rather walk four blocks than pay.
>
>
>
> A few years ago the City of Salem, for example, debated putting in meters,
> did not, removed time limits – and then the businesses clamored for time
> limits to be re-instituted. You might call them about their experience.
>
>
>
> I believe the City of Eugene may have instituted parking price adjustments
> recently too. You might reach out to Jeff.
> https://www.eugene-or.gov/778/Downtown-Parking
>
>
>
> Call with questions.
>
>
>
> Cheers,
>
>
>
> Evan
>
>
>
>
>
> *Evan Manvel*
>
> Land Use and Transportation Planner
>
> Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development
>
> 635 Capitol Street NE, Suite 150 | Salem, OR 97301-2540
>
> Direct: 503-934-0059 | Main: 503-373-0050
>
> *evan.manvel at state.or.us <evan.manvel at state.or.us>* | *www.oregon.gov/LCD
> <http://www.oregon.gov/LCD>*
>
>
>
>
>
> *From:* OMS_MANAGERS [mailto:
> oms_managers-bounces at listsmart.osl.state.or.us] *On Behalf Of *Downtown
> Bend, OR
> *Sent:* Monday, May 13, 2019 4:31 PM
> *To:* Oregon Main Street program managers <
> oms_managers at listsmart.osl.state.or.us>
> *Subject:* [OMS_MANAGERS] Free parking in Downtown?
>
>
>
> Greetings,
>
>
>
> Our city is considering eliminating free parking in our Downtown.  Has
> anyone else gone through this transition and would you be willing to share
> the impact that it had on businesses?
>
>
>
> Thanks!
>
> Mindy Aisling
>
> Executive Director
>
> --------------------
>
>
>
> *Downtown Bend Business Association*
>
> Talk or Text - 541-788-3628    www.downtownbend.org
> 916 NW Wall Street in Downtown Bend Oregon
>
>
>
> *We are a nonprofit committed to increasing *
>
> *the vitality of Downtown Bend.*
>
>
>
>
>
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