Downtown Parking Austin The downtown Austin parking report calls for new consistent parking signs.[/caption] Fixing Austin's downtown parking problems isn't going to be easy, but it can be done by restructuring how drivers pay for it and where they park, according to consultants. On Wednesday, consulting firm Nelson/Nygaard Consulting Associates presented 19 recommendations for how to improve what Principal and Director of Strategy Jeff Tumlin calls a "controversial topic." The Downtown Austin Alliance—an organization that works to improve the downtown area through partnerships with local business owners and other stakeholders—hired Nelson/Nygaard about a year ago to develop strategies for making parking more efficient and convenient downtown. The recommendations follow a parking study completed in the past few months.

Performance-based parking program

At the top of Nelson/Nygaard's recommendation list is a performance-based parking program, which focuses on creating available spaces out of the downtown area's current parking inventory by adjusting the costs based on supply and demand. Much like airplane tickets, houses and cell phone bills, Tumlin said parking should be based on the "lowest price that ensures there's always a little bit of supply available." One recommendation is to implement a performance-based parking program that leaves about 15 percent of spaces unused. One recommendation is to implement a performance-based parking program that leaves about 15 percent of spaces unused.[/caption] That means prices are higher during peak daytime and evening periods and closer to the core of downtown, he said. Parking on the street also has to be more expensive than off-street parking because it is more desirable, Tumlin said. He said this method has been successful in cities such as Seattle and San Francisco.

Shared private parking

Tumlin's other top recommendation is a pilot program that shares parking with private parking structure owners who have unused spaces, much like the cities of San Diego and Sacramento have done. "There are no simple answers for how many parking spots you need; there are tradeoffs," Tumlin said, adding this method was cost-effective for all entities involved. "There's a lot of money to be made in those empty parking spaces," he said. "Every single spot that's sitting empty is extraordinary waste." In November the firm found about 30,000 of the downtown area's estimated 71,504 parking spaces are unused during peak periods because they are either inaccessible or too far from drivers' desired locations. Current downtown Austin parking system confusing, study shows This map shows an inventory of off-street parking in downtown Austin.[/caption] The firm also found about 30 percent of traffic congestion downtown is a result of drivers searching for the least expensive parking. Tumlin said the biggest takeaway from the study was the confusion that comes when trying to park—signs, locations, duration and prices vary, and there is no indication of whether a lot is full.

More parking as a last resort

Tumlin said it costs about $10,000 to add one parking space in Austin, and $10 million to build a 500-space garage. Although building additional parking is an option, Senior Associate Phil Olmstead said it should be one of the last recommendations to consider. "We don't think you can simply build your way out of this problem, he said. "Adding more parking supply is part of the solution, but it cannot be the only solution." Tumlin said Austin also needs to plan for the future of transportation and parking—autonomous cars and ride-hailing companies—by providing more curbside pickup and drop-off locations. "The world of parking is changing and changing rapidly," he said. The future of parking also calls for the reuse of parking garages when they will no longer be needed, Tumlin said. "We need to be cognizant that a parking structure is a 50-year investment," he said. Tumlin said despite the desire for mobility options in urban places such as Austin, people will still drive cars into downtown for a long time. "This is Texas, and people drive," Olmstead said. "But what we also know from the data is that people are willing and able and want better mobility choices." Other recommendations include:
  • expanding the existing affordable parking program;
  • enhancing pedestrian access to parking;
  • exploring opportunities to expand off-street supply;
  • investing in comprehensive signage and wayfinding signs;
  • investing in technology tools that make finding parking easier;
  • reinvesting parking revenue to support parking and downtown mobility in the district;
  • investing in circulator shuttles and park and ride options;
  • providing downtown employees with coordinated mobility services;
  • revising the zoning code to support more walkable development;
  • requiring and enforcing a transportation demand management ordinance;
  • revising the zoning code to emphasize shared parking;
  • adjusting on-street regulations to maximize flexibility at the curb;
  • better enforcing parking regulations
  • establishing a formal collaboration with the city, the state and other stakeholders
  • enhancing event management;
  • planning for the future of parking; and
  • strategically investing in additional parking.

Next steps

Billy Edwards, who owns two businesses downtown and attended the meeting, said although he agrees with all the recommendations, he doubts they will be implemented in a timely manner. He said parking for his 6o or so employees is his biggest expense after salaries, and he wants to see changes soon. "There's nothing wrong with any of [the recommendations]," he said. "But when are we going to see an impact?" The next step, Tumlin said, is to determine what recommendations are implemented first and who takes the lead on the implementation process—the DAA, the city of Austin or another stakeholder group. A final implementation plan will be presented to the public in October. "We want to make sure we are acting on the recommendations," Olmstead said. "[It's] not another plan that's sitting on a shelf."