Comments on: DTMP: Section Two – Parking and Moving http://scrutinyhooligans.us/2009/05/19/dtmp-section-two-parking-and-moving/ If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen. — Samuel Adams Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:24:30 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: cecil bothwell http://scrutinyhooligans.us/2009/05/19/dtmp-section-two-parking-and-moving/comment-page-1/#comment-30680 cecil bothwell Fri, 22 May 2009 11:49:06 +0000 http://scrutinyhooligans.us/?p=8022#comment-30680 In lots of cities when demand for parking is high enough the private sector steps in. We should carefully evaluate the city's participation in parking decks. I suspect we'd be much better off if we sold them to private operators. In lots of cities when demand for parking is high enough the private sector steps in. We should carefully evaluate the city’s participation in parking decks. I suspect we’d be much better off if we sold them to private operators.

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]]> By: Hamilton Cort http://scrutinyhooligans.us/2009/05/19/dtmp-section-two-parking-and-moving/comment-page-1/#comment-30663 Hamilton Cort Thu, 21 May 2009 15:28:03 +0000 http://scrutinyhooligans.us/?p=8022#comment-30663 "Negotiate off-peak use of private parking areas." How about negotiate public use of the PUBLIC decks? It seems to me that a big chunck of the parking problem stems from the city renting reserved spaces in the public decks. The parking deck that was built to handle events at the Civic Center is always full during events! There should be a debate about whether our government should be building parking decks for commercial use and profit. It seems to me that if there is parking demand, a market for a privately built deck should be there. “Negotiate off-peak use of private parking areas.”

How about negotiate public use of the PUBLIC decks?

It seems to me that a big chunck of the parking problem stems from the city renting reserved spaces in the public decks. The parking deck that was built to handle events at the Civic Center is always full during events! There should be a debate about whether our government should be building parking decks for commercial use and profit. It seems to me that if there is parking demand, a market for a privately built deck should be there.

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]]> By: cecil bothwell http://scrutinyhooligans.us/2009/05/19/dtmp-section-two-parking-and-moving/comment-page-1/#comment-30656 cecil bothwell Thu, 21 May 2009 08:57:14 +0000 http://scrutinyhooligans.us/?p=8022#comment-30656 As in other parts of the proposed DTMP, there are little wedges tucked in here and there, which could be hammered by special interests later to open big cracks. The Wayfinding signs, like the banners that are strung here and there downtown (Lexington Ave. has them just now), will make the place look like a Tourist Trap instead of a lovely small town. I heard that one of the consultants who advocated for the Wayfinding signs drove through Asheville on I-240, TWICE, and claimed he was unable to find "downtown." I wonder if he was confused by the cluster of tall buildings south of the Montford and Merrimon/Broadway exits? And I agree that the routine endorsement of more parking decks in the usual places is suspect. This tourist year should be revelatory, with national estimates of a 20 percent drop in tourism and international oil prices on the rise again. I have a strong hunch that the $900,000 deck will prove to have been a very bad idea. As in other parts of the proposed DTMP, there are little wedges tucked in here and there, which could be hammered by special interests later to open big cracks.

The Wayfinding signs, like the banners that are strung here and there downtown (Lexington Ave. has them just now), will make the place look like a Tourist Trap instead of a lovely small town. I heard that one of the consultants who advocated for the Wayfinding signs drove through Asheville on I-240, TWICE, and claimed he was unable to find “downtown.”

I wonder if he was confused by the cluster of tall buildings south of the Montford and Merrimon/Broadway exits?

And I agree that the routine endorsement of more parking decks in the usual places is suspect. This tourist year should be revelatory, with national estimates of a 20 percent drop in tourism and international oil prices on the rise again. I have a strong hunch that the $900,000 deck will prove to have been a very bad idea.

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]]> By: Doug Gibson http://scrutinyhooligans.us/2009/05/19/dtmp-section-two-parking-and-moving/comment-page-1/#comment-30653 Doug Gibson Thu, 21 May 2009 00:48:55 +0000 http://scrutinyhooligans.us/?p=8022#comment-30653 It all sounds fantastic. I wonder what the pedestrian route from the arts district would look like. And hey, covered bike racks! It all sounds fantastic. I wonder what the pedestrian route from the arts district would look like. And hey, covered bike racks!

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]]> By: eemilla http://scrutinyhooligans.us/2009/05/19/dtmp-section-two-parking-and-moving/comment-page-1/#comment-30650 eemilla Wed, 20 May 2009 23:31:58 +0000 http://scrutinyhooligans.us/?p=8022#comment-30650 I love the idea of creating satellite parking sites and using shuttles; I agree that I do not generally have an issue finding downtown parking as long as I am willing to park somewhere other than right beside my destination (I do not work downtown though so my weekday trips aren't terribly common). When my husband and I are tourists we try to avoid driving and having to add the cost of a rental car to our trip, and I would love to see Asheville embrace that mentality. It will help us locals by increasing the alternative transportation infrastructure and reducing drunk driving. I love the idea of creating satellite parking sites and using shuttles; I agree that I do not generally have an issue finding downtown parking as long as I am willing to park somewhere other than right beside my destination (I do not work downtown though so my weekday trips aren’t terribly common). When my husband and I are tourists we try to avoid driving and having to add the cost of a rental car to our trip, and I would love to see Asheville embrace that mentality. It will help us locals by increasing the alternative transportation infrastructure and reducing drunk driving.

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