Council directs staff to prioritize signage and traffic study after wide-ranging Vester Avenue parking discussion
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Summary
Following council discussion of multiple short-term and longer-term options to address downtown parking stress during construction on Vester Avenue, council asked staff to pursue improved wayfinding and messaging immediately, investigate a one-way traffic option and study valet or staged-parking solutions.
Council members and city staff discussed several options on July 14 to address parking stress on Vester Avenue and in the downtown core while construction proceeds, and gave staff a short list of priorities to pursue.
Staff outlined multiple approaches: creating additional on-street spaces by modifying curb and sidewalk sections (staff estimated roughly $60,000), piloting non-delineated parking, improving wayfinding signage, allowing reserved on-street spaces for businesses (with fees), implementing valet services (staff estimated a potential program cost of roughly $90,000 to $150,000 per year including lost meter revenue) and relocating long-term employee parking to City Hall to free up closer spaces for customers.
Council direction: Members prioritized low-cost, fast actions first. They asked staff to (1) improve signage and messaging directing visitors to underused City Hall and other lots; (2) study the feasibility and traffic impacts of making a segment of Vester one-way (including whether a temporary construction-era one-way could be used); and (3) further investigate valet or staged-parking options, including identifying nearby lots that could be used to park vehicles. Council asked staff to return with cost and feasibility information and suggested staff pursue potential cost-sharing with the DDA or private property owners.
Why it matters: Construction in the East-side downtown area is reducing curb availability and increasing parking demand for businesses. Council members emphasized balancing customer access and pedestrian-friendly sidewalks while avoiding long-term narrowing of sidewalks.
Next steps: Staff will begin with signage/wayfinding improvements and return with a traffic study to evaluate one-way options and a financial feasibility analysis for valet staging and possible lot-use agreements with nearby property owners.
Ending: Councilmembers asked staff to engage downtown business owners, the DDA and affected residents as staff develops firm proposals.