Downtown Parking

[shawnw]

You forgot about Reggae Fest.

Also I noticed Sunday night (during the free park concert) people took to parallel parking along Sheridan even though there are no parking signs...

[shawnw]

It will get worse before it gets better since the East Crosstown is coming along and that grassy area on private property/ROW won't continue to exist for parking purposes before there is an alternative...

Saturday was a night I was particularly glad to have walked to Bricktown from home...

[Bullbear]

It's kind of a long Walk from Crestwood. but I said to my partner.. SEE This is where a streetcar into Bricktown would help out!

[Richard at Remax]

I ate up at Vast on Saturday night and it looked like a parking nightmare from up there. but it was cool to see bricktown and downtown packed full of people

[shawnw]

The walk is long, but the biking is not...

[catch22]

I went to Redhawks game on Saturday. I parked on the street over by La Luna. Wasn't bad at all of you don't mind walking (I don't)

[Anonymous.]

I went to Redhawks game on Saturday. I parked on the street over by La Luna. Wasn't bad at all of you don't mind walking (I don't)

This. There is parking available on the skirts of activity. It is the inconvenience factor that is the issue. People want to walk a block or less. Only way to break this greedy mindset is to have nights like Saturday.

Sometimes the only way to show people the problem.... is to hand them a mirror.

[shawnw]

Agree, catch, was referring to the walk from Crestwood though... my walk and/or ride to anywhere downtown is always pleasant and manageable.

[Teo9969]

Yeah, I hope that a handful of nights, or even a few months worth of nights are not going to spring us into trying to build parking we only rarely get use out of.

[Hyperbole]The worst way to use land in the history of the world has been to give adequate parking such that the only time it is at 100%+ occupancy is 5 days for christmas shopping.[/Hyperbole] Ever counted how many spaces are at the average Walgreens and CVS and thought "Why the hell are there 35 spaces for this building?"

The street car will legitimately alleviate some of those issues, but more so than that, We can't be building things downtown that will be fully utilized a handful of days out of the year. That's why massive garage in West Bricktown make more sense than anything: It can serve the CBD during the day and Bricktown at night.

Especially, people need to learn that it's okay to park a bit of a ways away and walk 5 to 10 blocks.

[catch22]

I disagree Teo. People need to not just know it's okay, but that it is expected of them to participate in the street life.

If you want to go downtown, be prepared for the fact that you will walk 5-10 blocks. Of you score a closer spot. Win. But don't go with the expectation.

I usually park in the same area (Film Row area) and usually can walk to Bricktown faster than someone circling a parking lot in Lower Bricktown for 10 minutes. Plus I get to see a lot of cool things and pretty people on the walk over.

[Bellaboo]

I have a parking pass for every home Thunder game in the Santa Fe Garage. Unless there is inclement weather, I park just west of the MBG. I get home 10 minutes faster that way, and it's a shorter and much nicer walk cutting through the park.

[Bullbear]

I do the same thing for Thunder games. I have Santa Fe parking but its faster to park on the street by La-Luna or just south of there or closer to film row. I get home much quicker.

[Teo9969]

I disagree Teo. People need to not just know it's okay, but that it is expected of them to participate in the street life.

If you want to go downtown, be prepared for the fact that you will walk 5-10 blocks. Of you score a closer spot. Win. But don't go with the expectation.

I usually park in the same area (Film Row area) and usually can walk to Bricktown faster than someone circling a parking lot in Lower Bricktown for 10 minutes. Plus I get to see a lot of cool things and pretty people on the walk over.

That doesn't mean we can totally disregard the need for parking though. Someday in the foreseeable future, there will be many weeknights where every area of downtown is going to see plenty of activity and every single weekend is going to be packed such that, you won't be able to park anywhere downtown to be able to get to events/attractions downtown.

The closest thing OKC has had to a large entertainment district in the last 20 years is Memorial road… nearly all of downtown is going to become that for OKC in the next 10 years, and we have to be aware that demand is going to reach a point where Downtown is significantly busier at 10PM than it will be at 10AM. Now maybe there's a chance that the garages in the CBD, which I don't think will ever be busy past 6PM will be able to shoulder that load such that if you want to go to Fassler Hall you'll have to park in the garage near the court house and do the rest of the journey via foot.

[catch22]

I actually agree with you, I was being facetious in saying I disagreed.

[shawnw]

I wonder if we can get funding for "Your Streetlife Responsibilties" signs to post on every block via MAPS4 funds :-)

I'd vote for it!

[Pete]

I was frankly surprised to see the 10th street garage get such approval. It's not progressive and will just need to be torn down later. Spend our money on subsidizing below ground.

But in that case, it was specifically constructed to service three historic buildings (Buick, Pontiac and Marion) where parking couldn't be incorporated.

In fact, it is physically connected to the Buick Building.

[Pete]

Right, there should have been more thought given to the street level instead of just leaving it all parking.

It will be very interesting to see if the Main Street Garage will be able to fill their street-level storefronts. I suspect it will be office use at the outset.

[shawnw]

Agree with you Sid but that doesn't always solve the issue. Look at Devon, they built their own parking and it wasn't enough, having to build more. Same issue with the building I live in. There aren't enough spots for how many people have cars, so there's a waiting list. If you don't already have a spot you've got to find your own elsewhere downtown... which is expensive I can attest!

[shawnw]

Thanks for the clarification. I like it.

[Plutonic Panda]

Embark will be assessing the parking situation in DTOKC.

OKLAHOMA CITY – EMBARK is asking the public for input on future parking needs for downtown Oklahoma City.

Officials say EMBARK wants to hear from Oklahoma City residents on parking needs for the city’s urban core, including the City Center, Automobile Alley, Arts District, Deep Deuce, Bricktown and Midtown districts.

Since March, a firm, Kimley-Horn, and EMBARK, have been working together to develop a plan for parking in the downtown area.

A series of open houses will take place Tuesday and Wednesday at the following places and times:

Bricktown and Deep Deuce

Wednesday, Sept. 4
8:30 – 11:30 a.m.
420 W Main St., Basement Personnel Conference Room
City Center and Arts District

Wednesday, Sept. 4
2:30 – 5:30 p.m.
420 W Main St., Basement Personnel Conference Room
Automobile Alley

Thursday, Sept. 5
8:30 – 11:30 a.m.
431 W Main St., Suite B, EMBARK Large Conference Room
Midtown

Thursday, Sept. 5
2:30 – 5:30 p.m.
431 W Main St., Suite B, EMBARK Large Conference Room
Residents are encouraged to attend to learn more about the current state of parking and offer input on future needs.

- https://kfor.com/2019/09/04/embark-a...parking-needs/

[Pete]

The city commissioned research consultants Kimley-Horn to perform a downtown parking study:













PRIMARY RECOMMENDATIONS:

[Pete]

^

This does not include the following projects under construction or planned:

1. Convention Center garage (1,100 spaces)
2. First Nation Center (700 spaces)
3. Large surface lot to the south of the new convention center
4. Karmer Garage (Main Street just east of the tracks) - hundreds of spaces

[PaddyShack]

So will we be losing the free evening and weekend parking? I got to say I would rather pay the city for parking than private entities... If I have to pay for parking that is. But I really think we need to have other options of getting downtown before they implement any more paid parking. Currently my only option is to drive and park downtown if I want to go, I don't have a bus or train from Yukon.

[Pete]

I noticed they have made the parking on the west side of Scissortail Park pay-to-park.

[GoGators]

I can’t believe the city actually paid a company to come to the conclusion that there is way to many parking spaces in the core. I could have told them that for free