Using a Consultant to Maximize the Parking You Already Have BY MATTHEWINMAN


ERHAPS YOU’VE JUST BEEN notified about a new downtown or campus development project that will eliminate a parking lot or increase parking demand. Or maybe you’re


Do You Really Ne P


In today’s difficult economic environment, funding new


hearing concerns from business owners about a lack of parking downtown and they’re demanding a new parking facility.


Either way, you may be considering adding to the parking


supply to meet current or future parking demands. This is an important decision with serious operational and financial ramifi- cations, and therefore not one that should be entered into lightly. Finding the resources to fund a parking structure construc-


tion project can be difficult in the best of times.Trying to balance ongoing operational andmaintenance expenses for existing facil- ities with the costs of designing, constructing and operating a newparking structure can be challenging for even themost finan- cially sound parking systems.


parking construction projects can be almost impossible. There- fore, it’s crucial that every parking systemexplore all alternatives for addressing parking demands prior to constructing a new sur- face lot or structure. Strategies for dealing with parking demands that mitigate


the need to construct a newfacility can help in a number ofways, including but not limited to: • Reducing parking system expenses related to operations


and debt service. • Decreasing the need to raise parking rates to cover new


construction and operations expenses. • Improving the utilization of existing parking spaces in both


public and private parking facilities. • Increasing revenues in existing parking facilities, both pub-


lic and private. • Encouraging visitors and employees to utilize alternative


forms of transportation, thereby reducing traffic, pollution, con- gestion and frustration.


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NOVEMBER 2009 • PARKING TODAY • www.parkingtoday.com


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