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INDOT says parking revenue has grown to support infrastructure, including protected bike lanes
Summary
INDOT told the Budget & Finance committee that parking revenue has increased from roughly $800,000 when the director arrived to $3.68 million last year and is projected to exceed $5 million this year; the department says net parking funds will be redirected to infrastructure such as protected bike lanes.
Diana Alarcon, director of the Department of Transportation Multimodal Infrastructure (INDOT), told the council that recent increases in parking revenue are being returned to infrastructure projects, including protected bike lanes.
Alarcon said the department's parking revenue grew from about $800,000 in the years before pay‑machines to $3.68 million last year and that INDOT expects to “be hitting above 5,000,000” this year. “All of these dollars, when we take out the expenses, the net income actually goes back into infrastructure,” she said.
Alarcon gave a specific example: INDOT is preparing to add protected bike lanes on the Jefferson Street bridge and said the work will be paid for with net parking funds. The department also proposed adding compliance inspectors in the parking special purpose fund to manage enforcement and residential permit program requests.
Council members raised concerns about balancing parking revenue goals with street‑level access for customers and businesses. Alarcon said INDOT is working with business groups and neighborhood stakeholders and watching short‑term parking availability: “Short term parking is so important to have on the street so the turns happen. And if someone's coming for a long term, we want them in the garage.”
The department described a pilot with downtown partners offering reduced garage rates for event attendees; Alarcon referenced a test tied to a professional hockey game where attendees could park in participating garages for $18 with a ticket. She said INDOT plans to continue experimenting with business‑facing programs and to coordinate with private garage owners and WeGo Transit.
There was no council action at the hearing. INDOT staff said they will return with additional stakeholder outreach and program details that address availability, pricing and business impacts.
