The Downtown Austin Alliance, a group of downtown businesses and community members, is launching a study to address downtown parking, which DAA President and CEO Dewitt Peart said is becoming an increasingly important mobility issue.

The study, which will be conducted by San Francisco-based Nelson/Nygaard Consulting Associates, will inventory on- and off-street parking, evaluate future parking needs and develop strategies to make parking more efficient and user-friendly, according to the DAA.

The DAA completely funded the $260,000 study, which is expected to be completed by next spring, Peart said.

“This is no small undertaking," he said. “Our board felt this was really important for downtown and the future of downtown, so we are really making a commitment here.”

Peart said the study will result in short- and long-term implementation plans that will address challenges and solutions for both the public and private sectors.

“The studies done in the past primarily focused on the public sector parking. ... This effort is rather unique; we’re bringing the private sector into the fold,” he said. “This is more than parking. This also takes into consideration all the other mobility factors that surround parking.”

The study will launch May 11 with a community meeting at the Google Fiber space to gather input from area residents.