Walnut Creek studies curb-management plan to ease downtown parking, deliveries and walking access

Walnut Creek City staff on Sept. 2 presented draft recommendations for a downtown curb‑management plan intended to balance parking, loading, pedestrian and bicycle needs and invited City Council feedback.

Brianna Byrne, an associate traffic engineer for the City of Walnut Creek, led the study‑session presentation and said the recommendations are draft and intended to solicit council input. “Again, emphasis on draft. We are here to solicit feedback from our council members,” Byrne said.

The plan, funded in part by a Metropolitan Transportation Commission grant Byrne said was “a little less than $200,000,” responds to data showing curb parking demand exceeding the city’s 85% occupancy target on core downtown blocks and higher utilization in the South Locust Garage. Terrence John, a consultant with Fair and Piers working on the study, said the South Locust Garage averaged above 85% occupancy for the day studied. “The South Locust garage is 85 above 85%, and that's the average for the entire day,” he said.

Why it matters

City officials said the plan aims to improve turnover for short trips and pick‑ups, reduce double‑parking and make it easier for visitors, employees and deliveries to reach downtown businesses while expanding safe walking and bicycling access.

Key findings and figures

- Data collection: curb and garage counts were taken in October (weekday and weekend samples) and supplemental data in December. Byrne said the October sample reported average occupancy from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., and staff has additional time‑of‑day snapshots for peak periods.

- Inventory (study area roughly from Parkside Drive to South Main Street): about 465 “green” meters ($2 per hour, up to 3 hours), about 1,041 “purple” meters ($1 per hour, up to 10 hours), municipal garages with about 1,433 spaces, and roughly 3,000 municipally managed spaces overall. Byrne said the study estimated about 10,000 total parking…