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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-02-04 Select Board PacketDowntown Parking Potential System Modifications Overview for Select Board January 21, 2020 Updated February 4, 2020 Cross-Disciplinary Team (PTTTF: Parking Traffic Transportation Task Force) •Management –Bob LeLacheur, Jean Delios •Planning / Economic Development –Julie Mercier, Erin Schaeffer, Andrew MacNichol •DPW / Engineering –Jane Kinsella, Chris Cole, Ryan Percival •Public Safety –PD: David Clark, Christine Amendola, Michael Scouten –FD: Paul Jackson Sources •Maps & Data: Downtown Reading Parking Study – 2018 Assessment, prepared by Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc.; 2019 Parking Survey •Anecdotal Information: Stakeholder feedback at public meetings; conversations with Police Dept. •Philosophy & Opportunities: based on industry practice and recommendations of Nelson\Nygaard 2018 Assessment Tonight’s Presentation •Recap of October 2019 Presentation •Downtown Parking Survey – Highlights •Opportunities –Surgical Fixes to Discrete Problems –Systemwide Modifications –Implementation Decisions •PTTTF Request of Select Board Recap [October 2019 Presentation] Downtown Area: ~50 acres = < 0.1 square mile ~25 ‘city blocks’ ~1/2 mile end to end 2 dozen ways of regulating parking What is the User Experience? Current Parking System User Experience / Perception Spaces categorized/regulated by user type or permit type Not enough spaces for each specific user or permit type More permits issued than spaces allocated to them Frustration that permit does not guarantee space Permits issued to recurring businesses & early birds Not enough permits; new businesses feel excluded Time Limitations / Restrictions Need to leave or move car Multitude of Regulations, some very specific Confusing and frustrating; hard to adhere to or enforce NB: User refers to resident, business owner, employee, visitor – in general terms. Opportunities for Consideration Philosophy Opportunity Expand Access: Align Supply with Demand; Simplify System 1. Regulate spaces first by Time, then by User/Permit 2. Reduce/adapt regulations* 3. Abolish leasing Level Permit ‘Playing Field’1. Increase # of permits* 2. Cap # per business, at first 3. Expand locations for employee parking* Empower versus Penalize [i.e. Pay to Stay vs. Ticket] 1. Adjust time limits* 2. Add payment kiosks to public lots* * Recommended in 2018 Nelson Nygaard Study Oct 2019 Select Board Action: •NO CHANGES FOR JANUARY 1ST •Allowed the Police Department to issue semi- annual permits (Jan 1st – June 30 th) to give the PTTTF time to gather additional data and do further study of opportunities. Additional Data to be Gathered •Allocation vs. Use of Spaces: –# of spaces vs. # of passes sold –Use of spaces by User Type / Permit Type* •Business Specific Data: –# of employees on largest shift –Average length of customer visit –Where do employees park if permit spaces taken? •‘Increasing’ Supply –Where can employee parking be expanded?* –Where can additional parking be added to supply?* •Regulatory Changes –Impacts of adapting existing regulations –Pricing for & logistics of implementing payment kiosks* –Adjusting hours & time limits* * Recommended in 2018 Nelson Nygaard Study Downtown Parking Survey Survey Highlights •Dates Open: Nov 18 – Dec 16 •Distributed: email, website, in person Staff spoke in person with 55 businesses •Total Responses: 52 (business/property owners, managers, employees) •Responses from Individual Businesses: 47 ~30% of downtown businesses responded Employee Data •Employees Per Business –Median: 5 to 9 –Average: 6.4 to 9.5 70% of respondents have fewer than 10 employees •Employees During Busiest Time of Operation –Median: 1 to 4 –Average: 4.6 to 8.0 50% of respondents have fewer than 4 employees at the busiest time •Typical Length of Employee Shift –Median: 8 hours –Average: 10+ hours 75% of respondents have a typical shift of 8+ hours Employee Permit Program •71% of respondents familiar with Employee Permit Program BUT less than 50% of respondents use it 9 didn’t know about it, 8 didn’t need it, 5 couldn’t get any permits Other: too expensive, not guaranteed, don’t want to walk w/stuff •Employee Permits First column low b/c less than 50% of respondents use program Second column adjusted Capping between 5-10 per business should cover most businesses Purchased (All Respondents) Purchased (Only Participants)Needed None 5 to 9 1 to 4 2.4 to 4.2 4.8 to 8.3 4.3 to 6.6 Median Employee Permits Average Employee Permit Program •87% of respondents think Employee Permit Program should be improved or expanded: –Make more spaces available to employees –Add more flexibility on parking locations –Describe program, locations, regulations, fees, etc. better –Increase number of permits –Allow employees to use Town Hall lot on Fridays and Weekends –Don’t allow 4 Hour spaces in lots to be used by employees –Add spaces for the public and patrons of businesses, not for employees –Don’t expand the program for employees at the expense of customers –Price permit more reasonably –Offer permits mid-year for new businesses –Don’t block spaces for event set-up –Don’t allow construction workers to take up spaces –Purchase private property for parking lot or build parking garage –Designate 1 space per business –Create centralized location for employee parking Where do Employees Park? •Without Employee Permit: 45% of respondents still use public lots and public on-street spaces •With or Without Employee Permit: Other: in front of Town Hall, behind former Walgreens, Elliott St, Village St, Chapin Ave, Main St Answer Choices Off-Street Parking on Private Property 29.27% 12 Haven Street 24.39% 10 Employee Permit section of Haven, or in Public 2 Hr section and moving every 2 hrs? Woburn Street 21.95% 9 Strengthens case for expanding employee parking on Woburn Upper Haven Street Public Parking Lot (CVS Lot) 17.07% 7 Need to move car every 4 hrs, or potentially these employees work <4 hour shifts? Gould Street 12.20% 5 Proposal is to move employee parking off of Gould Pleasant Street 12.20% 5 Strengthens case for expanding employee parking on Pleasant, but consider Senior Center Lowell Street 7.32% 3 Proposal is to make this Public 2 Hr or Employee Permit Brande Court Public Parking Lot (Old Atlantic Lot) 7.32% 3 Need to move car every 4 hrs, or potentially these employees work <4 hour shifts? Ash Street 4.88% 2 Unregulated area or moving car every 2 hrs? MBTA Train Station - High Street 4.88% 2 Low usage by respondents strengthens case for changing regulations in this location Harnden Street Public Parking Lot 2.44% 1 MBTA Parking Lot 0.00% 0 Other (please specify) 11 Responses Opportunities Surgical Fixes to Discrete Problems 1. Leasing Program Action: Abolish it •Details: 58 public spaces leased to 10 different private entities •Locations: High Street (41), Brande Court Lot (4), Harnden Street (13) •Survey: 70% of respondents don’t lease, ~50% don’t need/want any •Why: Eliminates ‘privatization of public space’, increases public supply 2. Pleasant Street Center Lot Action: Change to “Pleasant Street Center Parking” (a la Town Hall Lot) •Why: Lot has many different regulations, can be simplified 3. Overnight Exceptions Action: Remove them all No Overnight Parking allowed •Locations: Pleasant Street Center, Harnden Yard, Brande Court •Why: Challenges if cars not moved in morning Surgical Fixes to Discrete Problems 4. Resident Community Access Sticker Action 1: Eliminate FREE option •Details: 70 free permits given out in 2019, available to residents with posted Resident restriction along their property frontage all but 2 impacted properties have dedicated off-street parking •Utilization: hard to tell if spaces are used by downtown residents or by other residents who park downtown to use commuter rail or to work it’s unclear exactly why people need/want these permits, but the option to buy them will still be available OVERALL this action is less critical if you agree to remove Resident Only regulations in Downtown North (see Systemwide Modifications) Action 2: Unbundle it into Commuter Permit and Compost Permit •Details: 850+ total resident permits issued in 2019 More information is needed before Action 2 is taken Systemwide Modifications 1. Focus is Downtown North 2. No Changes to Downtown South 3. Let the Mapping & Data Tell the Story •Regulatory Maps •Utilization Data •Survey Data 4. Capitalize on Existing Framework •Maintain but modify existing regulated areas •Formalize additional areas/spaces only as needed 5. Make Small Changes with Big Impact Geography INNER CORE (orange) OUTER CORE (pink) User / Component Pros Considerations PUBLIC Provides more spaces for short-term users & empowers longer-term users to pay-to-stay. Cost escalation will disincentivize employees from parking in lot all day. (1) Inner Core changed to "Public 2 HR" or "Public 30 Min" in some areas / (2) Kiosks put in CVS & Brande Court Lots - no time limit, but cost escalation after 4 hours^ Need to discuss timeframe for regulations. Could be limited: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM or more broad: 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM or something in between. Changes Defined as: Area bounded by Woburn/Main/High* Defined as: Streets emanating 1- 2 blocks outward from Inner Core** Regulations: All streets changed to "Public 2 Hr" or "Public 30 Min"; remove "Resident Only" and "Employee Permit" areas; "No Parking" areas will remain; Payment Kiosks added to CVS & Brande Ct Lots; 9-11 Gould St permit remains Regulations: All streets changed to "Public 2 Hr or All Day with Employee Permit"; remove "Resident Only" areas; Add/formalize spaces east of Main on Green & Bolton, and north of Woburn on Linden & Sanborn; "No Parking" areas will remain LEASING EMPLOYEES RESIDENTS COMMUTERS (1) Redistribute Employee Parking to Outer Core / (2) Expand Areas where Employees can park / (3) Increase # of Employee Permits available / (4) Offer Employee Permits for FREE (1) "Resident Only" (residents or resident commuters) & Town- controlled Commuter parking relocated out of Downtown North / (2) Unbundle Commuter Permit from Community Access Permit Abolish Program & Re-allocate spaces: High Street (41) = "Public 2 Hr or All Day with Employee Permit" / Brande Court (4) = public (kiosk) / Harnden/Union (13) = Police Dept? (1) Remove "Resident Only" regulation in Inner Core / (2) Price Community Access Permit competitively w/MBTA pricing / (3) 9-11 Gould Street permit remains / (4) No Changes to Downtown South / (5) Eliminate FREE Community Access Permit Spaces will be available to short-term users of all types, but not to commuters b/c of 2 Hr restriction. (Community Access "loophole" will be closed in Downtown North.) Makes sense for all-day users to park further out. Anyone who wants to park closer can pay in lot. Town will need to assess lighting and safety, and may want to stripe/formalize parking spaces on some streets (i.e. Bolton) Community Access "loophole" will be closed in Downtown North. All-day parkers will be relocated out of Downtown North to free up spaces. Commuters will still be able to park in Downtown South or in MBTA lots.*** Eliminates single user spaces & 'adds' supply to system. Removes 'privatization of public spaces'. Residents who want to park on-street will be able to outside of regulated hours. Regulated hours need to be determined. [SCENARIO based on STATED PHILOSOPHY] Implementation Decisions 1. Employee Permit spaces redistributed & expanded –Details: PD issues ~145 permits for ~120 spaces –Field Inventory: # of spaces could increase from ~120 to ~330 •Number of permits could issued could double –Locations for lighting & safety improvements: still under review Decision 1A: fee or no fee for employee permit? Decision 1B: formalize (stripe) spaces on side streets? 2. Timeframe for All On-Street Regulations Decision 2: limited (10:00-4:00) or broad (8:00-6:00)? Implementation Decisions 3. Kiosks in Public Lots (CVS & Brande Court)* –Types: Decision 3A: Pay-by-Plate or Pay-by-Space? –Timeframe for Regulations / Time Limits: Decision 3B: start later (10:00-6:00) or all day (8:00-6:00)? In either case, consider allowing first 15 mins free Decision 3C: time limit or no time limit? If no time limit, consider escalating price after 4 hours –Recommended Pricing Strategy: First 15 mins FREE, Up to 4 hours: $1 per hour, 4+ hours: $2 per hour Decision 3D: adopt this strategy or explore other options? *See memo from Nelson Nygaard, dated 1/29/20 Implementation Decisions 3. Kiosks in Public Lots (CVS & Brande Court)…Cont’d* If Town implements kiosks, it’s important we also: –Establish a Parking Benefit District –Invest in License Plate Recognition (LPR) technology for enforcement –Use Mobile Apps consistent with nearby towns (i.e. ParkMobile, PayByPhone, etc.) Staff can provide more information on all of these *See memo from Nelson Nygaard, dated 1/29/20 PTTTF Request of Select Board: •Discuss & Solicit Public Input On: Surgical Fixes to Discrete Problems Systemwide Modifications Implementation Decisions Thank You Other Resources 14061572151014051258916 203618701932203721842526 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%Occupied Vacant DRAFT THURSDAY 14061572151014051258916 203618701932203721842526 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%Occupied Vacant DRAFT THURSDAY 14061572151014051258916 203618701932203721842526 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%Occupied Vacant DRAFT THURSDAY 14061572151014051258916 203618701932203721842526 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%Occupied Vacant DRAFT THURSDAY 14061572151014051258916 203618701932203721842526 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%Occupied Vacant DRAFT THURSDAY 14061572151014051258916 203618701932203721842526 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%Occupied Vacant DRAFT THURSDAY Road Segment From:To: Consultant Field Lowell Street Woburn Street Main Street 17 25 Sanborn Street Haven Street Woburn Street 18 13 Linden Street Haven Street Woburn Street 15 20 Chute Street Haven Street Woburn Street 18 8 High Street Washington Street Woburn Street 126 124 112 107 Haven Street Main Street High Street 102 84 19 spaces double counted by consultant Gould Street Haven Street Ash Street 19 20 Green Street Ash Street High Street 21 21 Ash Street Main Street Green Street 18 12 Harnden Street Main Street Union Street 10 9 Main Street Washington Street Union Street 52 44 73 61 private parking counted by consultant Inner Core Total:601 548 Road Segment From:To: Consultant Field Goodall Sanford Main Street 128 Marketplace 25 26 Bolton Street Main Street end 33 20 consultant counted parking on both sides, road can only support one-sided parking Green Street Main Street Elliott Street 25 13 consultant counted parking on both sides, road can only support one-sided parking Chapin Avenue Main Street Elliott Street 19 14 Haven Street Main Street Elliott Street 14 13 Pleasant Street Main Street Middle Street 30 21 Woburn Street Lowell Street High Street 84 52 consultant potentially counted a no parking area High Street Woburn Street Vine Street 54 51 Chute Street Mount Vernon Street Woburn Street 18 13 Bancroft Avenue Mount Vernon Street Woburn Street 11 6 Linden Street Lowell Street Woburn Street 50 30 consultant counted parking on both sides, road can only support one-sided parking Sanborn Street Lowell Street Woburn Street 30 32 Lowell Street Sanborn Street Woburn Street 27 27 Salem Street Lowell Street Main Street 9 9 Outer Core Total:429 327 1030 875 Downtown Reading Parking Study - Parking Space Inventory Confirmed by Town Engineering Division - January 2020 *Note: in the non-striped areas the space count becomes approximate based on how tightly the cars may or may not park; field estimates are conservative Inner & Outer Cores Total: No. of Parking Spaces No. of Parking Spaces Outer Core* Inner Core* Parking Lot (behind 30 Haven) = Brande Court Lot Parking Lot (behind CVS) = CVS Lot 77 FRANKLIN STREET 10TH FLOOR BOSTON, MA 02110 617-521-9404 FAX 617-521-9409 www.nelsonnygaard.com M E M O R A N D U M To: Julie Mercier, Town of Reading From: Matt Smith Date: January 29, 2020 Subject: Parking Kiosk Recommendations The below memorandum outlines several parking payment options and recommendations for use in Reading, starting in the Town’s municipal lot(s). Payment Equipment and Costs Payment kiosks would provide the best option for on-site payment within Reading’s public parking lot(s). Kiosks provide payment options (cash and card payment), require less maintenance than standard or smart meters, and create less visual clutter.Given the number of spaces and layout of the lot(s), two kiosks (in each) would provide sufficient coverage. Kiosk costs are generally comparable to purchasing standard meters (when installation costs are included), and more cost effective than smart meters. Based on pricing sheets provided through the Metropolitan Area Planning Council’s (MAPC) Collective Purchasing website, kiosks (solar powered or hard-wired) generally cost in the $10,000 to $12,000 range per unit, with some models priced higher. We would recommend units that at a minimum accept coins, bills, and card payments, provide a digital display (easier to see and to provide additional information) and that include internal lighting. Units without internal lighting are difficult to read at night. Kiosks can be procured through the MAPC’s Collective Purchasing program. MAPC has negotiated lower rates as part of a statewide group procurement process, allowing municipalities to purchase units at a discount without going to bid. For example, Parkeon’s multi-space meter (i.e. kiosk) – solar of hard-wired – accepting coins, bills, cards and with a small display screen runs $11,600 per unit under the program. All models from various vendors including ITS, IPS and offer units at similar costs. For a list of all available units, see https://www.mapc.org/our-work/services-for-cities- towns/public-works-collective-purchasing-program/#parkingpaymentsystems Recommendation: Hard-wired (electric) kiosk from Parkeon or IPS. Hard-wired kiosks have a slight edge as these units are more reliable in cold weather. However, newer solar units have improved performance, so given the reduction in costs to install (no electricity is needed) and to operate (no electricity is needed), solar is a good, green option. There is no or little difference in unit cost, but ongoing costs are less for solar. Recommendation: Allocate $15,000 per kiosk, including installation costs. Installation costs include labor and materials for a concrete pad where unit is located, electrician costs (if wired), and shelters (optional). [NAME OF DOCUMENT] | VOLUME [Client Name] Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc. | 2 Installation Timeframe Based on a discussion with a Municipal Parking Manager, kiosks are typically shipped and installed within 6-8 weeks; however, timeframes may shift depending on availability and orders. Kiosk installation costs – of the unit itself – is typically included in the cost. Other costs – concrete pad, electric conduit connection, etc. – is the responsibility of the municipality. Payment Options Pay-by-Plate vs. Pay-by-Space Recommendation: Pay-by-Plate should be used for parking payment sessions. Kiosks allow pay by space and pay by plate options. Pay by Plate is recommended for several reasons. - Pay-by-plate is more cost effective. There is no need to number individual spaces – signs or paint, which requires frequent upkeep. - Pay-by-plate can be used to track user patterns, for example, how often a specific car parks in the lot, and for how long. - Pay-by-plate can be used for virtual (license plate based) permits and LPR (license plate recognition) enforcement should the Town procure systems in the future. Free Parking Allocation Given that paid parking is new to Downtown Reading, allowing a short period of free parking, as well as a grace period at the end of each session, is recommended. Free parking should be directed towards short-term, convenience parking sessions. For example, someone running into a café for coffee pick-up or into the pharmacy quickly. Recommendation: Provide 15-minutes of free parking for each session. Free parking still requires entering license plate into the kiosk (or parking app – see next section). Additionally, proving an automatic grace period at the end of each paid session sho uld be considered, so as not to punitively punish those who are unintentionally delayed, and go over the time allotted by a few minutes. Such programs help to reduce enforcement fear. Recommendation: Institute a 5-minute grace period that automatically extends the paid time by 5-minutes to reduce likelihood of receiving a ticket within minutes of a session ending. Pricing Strategy Among the most successful ways to encourage parking turnover is pricing. Given that the two Town owned lots serve a variety of user types, providing the option to park for different periods of time, even all-day should be allowed (if parkers are willing to pay for it. Recommendation: Implement graduated pricing, where the base hourly rate ($1.00 per hour) increases for anyone parking more than 4 hours (e.g. $2 per hour). [NAME OF DOCUMENT] | VOLUME [Client Name] Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc. | 3 Hourly Parking Fee Breakdown - First 15-minutes: Free - Up to 4 hours: $1 per hour - 4 or more hours: $2 per hour. Parking Applications Parking applications add convenience for parkers. Many communities already incorporate parking applications, which have proven popular with many users. Parking applications not only provide user convenience, they also provide important data about parking patterns and user behavior, but also provide additional services (typically included in the base package) such as Parking Validation options allowing individual businesses and/or organizations to set up individual accounts and pay for their customers’ parking. Parking applications can also be used to manage permit systems (by plate). There are several options available to communities. Among the most used by local municipalities are ParkMobile (Somerville), Passport Labs (Boston, Cambridge, Brookline, Salem, and more) and PayByPhone. Any of these platforms should be considered. Parking App contract costs may be paid in full by the municipality, the user (parker, with a fee) or a combination. Recommendation: Contract with a parking application vendo r before launching payment. Parking Benefit District Parking Benefit Districts (PBDs) provide a mechanism in which to designate all parking revenues within a defined district – in this case, Downtown Reading – to improve the parking system within that district. Parking district improvements include but are not limited to parking equipment and maintenance, staffing (e.g. enforcement), infrastructure improvements (roadway, sidewalk, bicycle projects), public transit; wayfinding and signage, and more. All the above effect the parking system by improving facilities, managing parking demand, and more. Establishing a PBD before parking fees are established is recommended. The funds to be collected under a new system are net new revenues and do not impact existing budget allocations. Further, by advertising that all parking revenues directly go to fund infrastructure and beautification projects in the downtown district, users will see and experience the results. The Town of Arlington adopted the first PBD in Massachusetts. Funds from new parking meters are used to pay for improvements to public parking lots near Mass Ave, including lighting to improve visibility and user safety. Recommendation: Establish a Parking Benefits District as part of the introduction of priced parking.