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Mount Prospect parking study finds more public spaces than demand; board weighs signage, restriping and valet
Summary
A consultant told Mount Prospect trustees the downtown has roughly 2,161 public parking spaces and peak observed occupancy of about 54%, and recommended better wayfinding, selective restriping and a valet pilot to move drivers to underused decks; trustees and residents pressed for neighborhood protections and accurate counts.
Michael Worthman, principal at KLOA, told the Mount Prospect village board on the committee-of-the-whole evening that a 2025 downtown parking study found roughly 2,161 public parking spaces in the core and a maximum observed occupancy of about 54% on the busiest day sampled.
The study, based on six occupancy surveys in July and August that included a Saturday with two downtown events, reported that 37% of the supply is on-street and 63% in off-street lots and two decks. Worthman said the Northeast quadrant holds the largest share of spaces (about 43%), and that even during the double-event Saturday many decks and commuter lots had substantial unused capacity.
Why it matters: Trustees said the data helps distinguish systemwide capacity from the public’s experience of “hot spots” where spaces near popular restaurants fill. Trustee Alice DiPrima and others noted that occupancy within a smaller “prime” area—blocks within two walking blocks of restaurants—can reach much higher rates and reshape how decisions are made about time limits and signage.
Worthman and village staff recommended several low-cost and near-term actions: strengthen marketing and wayfinding so drivers use underused garages; continue enforcement to keep employees from occupying short-term curb spaces; consider adjusting some on-street time limits (for example, 30–60 minutes in high-turnover blocks, longer limits where customers dine); restripe the recently acquired St. Mark’s lot to increase public capacity to roughly 58 spaces; and pilot a valet program in the Southwest quadrant. Staff estimated a full-year valet pilot at about $30,000 (roughly $300 per night for two nights per week) and said restaurants could help underwrite that cost.
Board and public questions focused on counts and commitments. Trustee Grossi challenged the presentation’s tally for the St. Mark’s lot, after the village purchased the property and moved from leasing 40 stalls to owning the lot; staff explained previous leasing reduced counted public stalls and that restriping and converting from angled to perpendicular stalls can increase capacity. DiPrima, who walked the downtown and produced a “prime area” count, urged the board to use smaller-area metrics when judging whether more on-site parking is needed for new businesses.
Residents asked about accessibility and enforcement. Carol Martz and Veronica McFadden raised the availability of handicap spaces and urged clearer signage and public information about where to park. Staff said the St. Mark’s restripe would include accessible stalls and that commuter lots continue to have overnight restrictions to preserve market and snow‑removal needs.
What’s next: Staff said the board will move forward with targeted restriping and a communications push while monitoring conditions; trustees suggested pairing any new uses or redevelopments with post-opening monitoring to see whether additional, permanent parking measures are needed.
