Two Washington and Lee University interns proposed a 15-sign wayfinding plan to Lexington City Council aimed at directing drivers to underused public lots and easing downtown parking congestion. Diana Salazar and Daisy Barone presented their research during the council’s presentation slot, describing specific sign locations and recommendations for replacements and accessibility improvements.

The proposal matters because downtown parking demand concentrates on a few lots during peak hours while others sit largely unused. “Our goal is to support local businesses and to ensure that people can navigate downtown more efficiently and effectively,” Diana Salazar said during the presentation.

Salazar and Barone told the council the downtown district has six public parking facilities—the Randolph Street, Royce Smith, McCrum’s, Firehouse and Methodist church lots, plus the courthouse garage—totaling 876 public spaces, of which 435 are on-street and 441 are in lots. Their fieldwork included four walkthroughs and one drive-through with Public Works staff to identify high-demand and underused lots, signage that needs replacement, and corridors with heavy traffic.

Their recommendations include 15 new signs: 11 within downtown streets and 4 at entrance points, plus swapping two existing signs to improve visibility leading drivers toward the courthouse garage and the Royce Smith lot. They identified the McCrum’s and Firehouse lots as high-demand and the Royce Smith lot as underutilized, and suggested signage and hours information to clarify differences between lots.

They also proposed accessibility signage—elevator and stair wayfinding for Royce Smith lot—and stronger coordination with public safety offices at Washington and Lee University (W&L) and Virginia Military Institute (VMI) to inform students about public parking options. On student outreach, Barone said campus public safety alerts and email or social media messages are effective ways to reach students.

Council members praised the interns’ work and suggested staff use the plan as a tool for further study. Councilor Betts noted the presentation could prompt adjustments to parking time limits to shift demand toward underutilized lots. The council did not take formal action; the presentation was provided for staff consideration as a planning tool.