Downtown Parking? EASY
On Friday WRAL did another hit piece on downtown life. This time the subject was free valet parking in front of a few restaurants exacerbating the “parking problem”. Aside from the logical problems of that argument (valet makes patrons’ parking not a problem), parking downtown still, in fact, is easy.
The City of Raleigh and the Downtown Raleigh Alliance have published excellent guides to parking in downtown. Go ahead and print these and put them in your car for future use.
- City of Raleigh guide (.pdf)
- DRA guide (.pdf)
Additionally, the Alliance has a zoomable online map. It is surprising just how much parking is available, especially at night and on weekends.
A way the City of Raleigh could vastly improve the perception of downtown parking is to erect a system of consistently designed, dynamic signs at lot/deck entrances. The lots would have a standard green circle with a large, white “P” letter. A neon “FREE” sign could be lit during hours when parking is free. As people venture downtown, they will be reminded of how abundant and accessible free parking is.
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February 11th, 2008 at 8:41 am
Well said. I saw that story last night and thought, “why is this news?”. I’m on Fayetteville St. every day, only 5 or 6 cars can fit in that valet space anyway. No real loss I think.
I think it simply comes down to education, a lot of people do not know that most parking decks are free at night and on weekends. Would it have been so hard for WRAL to suggest this?
A sign like yours would help, make it a standard and place them all around downtown. Maybe add an oak like your logo or some Raleigh themed element to it.
February 11th, 2008 at 9:07 am
I have a theory that as plentiful parking may be downtown, many (and I’d imagine Goodmon would be one) want there to seem like a shortage to accomplish other goals: mass transit.
If there is a perceived lack of parking downtown it makes people think that we need trains to move people in and out, thus enhancing, albeit falsely, public perception that mass transit is needed.
February 11th, 2008 at 11:38 am
Agreed…I always tell people who complain about parking downtown that, for nights and weekends particularly, they are simply wrong. It’s not bad at all.
Your ideas for better signage is one I’d definitely support, though. It’s better than it used to be—I’ve seen banners hanging from light poles pointing to parking. But designation of free decks on nights/weekends would be a big plus.
February 11th, 2008 at 12:20 pm
I moved here from Boston. I’ve never had trouble parking at night in downtown Raleigh. None. Zero. And I’m down there a lot. Even in the daytime, it’s pretty great here. People just don’t know!
November 26th, 2010 at 9:17 am
[…] A better technology statement throughout the city. Parking in decks downtown should have a “vacancy” sign, and that data should be integrated with a web client that allows people, in real-time, to see where parking vacancies are in the downtown decks. [essay] […]