Last week, the City of Cincinnati made significant changes to its parking policy that includes increased rates all across the city. In most areas the rate is doubling in an effort to upgrade the city's parking infrastructure, while also becoming more cost competitive with private rates.
The changes come following analysis of a 2009 parking report completed by
Walker Parking Consultants. The report outlined that Cincinnati's off-street parking facilities, and on-street meters, were priced "well below market rate." The report will help the City in planning for the following:
- Increase parking needs as the city continues economic development efforts
- Address predicted shortage of the city budget's parking fund
- Provide for increased efficiency in the parking system's administration
The rate increases will make on-street meters in downtown Cincinnati $2 per hour, while city-owned parking garages will also see varying increases. In six neighborhood business districts, on-street meters will double from 25 cents an hour, to 50 cents an hour.
Even with these increases, more may be on the horizon as the 2009 Walker Parking report called for the city to price its parking spaces within 5 percent of private market rates. The basis for this recommendation is two-fold as studies indicate that often times public parking spaces are priced artificially low at the detriment of nearby businesses and the immediate environment.
Donald Shoup, Professor of Urban Planning at UCLA, has studied this subject matter extensively, and found that higher parking rates actually benefit local businesses by creating higher turnover. At the same time, the higher rates, Shoup contends, deter drivers from circling blocks in search of that cheap parking space. This, in turn, reduces direct emissions and reduces congestion on local roads.
City officials report that the increased meter rates are the first increases in more than ten years, and places Cincinnati within the lower range of of comparable cities like Louisville, Pittsburgh, Columbus, and Cleveland.
The increased rates will reportedly help cover maintenance costs associated with parking facilities, and support upgraded on-street parking equipment that will include new solar-powered pay/display stations like those currently found on Court Street and Second Street in downtown Cincinnati. City officials say that the new pay/display stations will make parking services more efficient, while also reducing maintenance costs long-term.
Writer:
Randy A. SimesPhotography by Scott BeselerStay connected by following Randy on Twitter
@UrbanCincy
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.