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Consultant: Brookfield downtown has capacity but needs better wayfinding, reallocation and targeted time limits
Summary
A KLOA parking study found Brookfield’s downtown has roughly 827 spaces and overall spare capacity but identified blocks with 95–100% occupancy; the consultant recommended better wayfinding, a digital parking map, reassigning ~71 commuter spaces to 4-hour limits and stronger enforcement.
A consultant retained by the Village of Brookfield told trustees on Dec. 8 that downtown has sufficient overall parking to meet demand but that localized congestion creates a persistent perception of shortage.
"All in all, the downtown area has sufficient parking to accommodate the actual parking demand," said Javier Moan, principal at KLOA, after presenting an inventory that counted about 556 on-street spaces and 271 private-lot spaces for a total of about 827 spaces. KLOA ran occupancy surveys hourly from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on a Friday and Saturday in April and found peak evening demand tied to restaurants.
Moan pointed to specific stretches that reached near-capacity during sampled hours—examples included a segment of Burlington Avenue and portions of Fairview Avenue—and said the coexistence of underused corridors and fully occupied blocks suggested better distribution of parking would ease perceived shortages.
Why it matters: The study gives the village data to shape targeted fixes rather than large-scale construction. Trustees said they want changes that support businesses while preserving commuter access, and they flagged imminent construction (the Triangle site and Prairie Avenue work) that could temporarily change demand.
KLOA’s recommendations included: - Create a digital downtown parking map and publicize it through the village website, social media and the Chamber of Commerce to make underused lots easier to find. - Implement a coordinated wayfinding sign system with advance signage approaching the business district. - Reassign about 71 underutilized commuter-designated spaces on Brookfield Avenue to four-hour parking 8 a.m.–6 p.m. to allow multi-stop visits to shops and restaurants. - Expand short-term (15-minute) pickup/drop-off zones near the train station and business frontages and consider dual-use hours that change after commuter peak times. - Strengthen enforcement of on-street time limits to discourage employees or businesses from occupying prime short-term spaces. - Pilot coordinated valet operations that use underutilized lots for dropoff and shuttle vehicles to business areas.
Moan also reviewed parking ratios for transit-oriented development and said Brookfield’s code requirement of 1.25 spaces per residential unit aligns with Institute of Transportation Engineers guidance and peer communities.
Trustees and staff discussed operational steps: better signage and a digital map were seen as near-term, low-cost fixes; converting specific curb segments to multi-hour limits would require careful phasing and communication; and enforcement and possible employee decal programs would need a plan for compliance. Village Manager Tim Wyberg said staff will share the study online for broader public input and return recommendations in phases.
The Committee of the Whole did not take a final vote on the consultant recommendations; trustees asked staff to refine implementation options and bring the matter back for further consideration.
