Downtown Parking

[PaddyShack]

There is free parking available if you're willing to enjoy a nice walk. I never pay for parking when I come to this area. I usually park over by the Hill and walk to Bricktown, Chesapeake, wherever.

Oh I don't mind parking and walking. I am worried about my current free parking area being turned into paid regardless of my walk. My preferred parking option is not in Bricktown and I probably mistook the information about changes to parking meters being only in Bricktown. I like to park on the west side of downtown and then either catch the street car for Bricktown or just walk to our destination.

[foodiefan]

Just as they do now during the arts festival (people complain about parking even though the arts garage is very close and largely empty at that time), people will continue to gripe about lack of parking around Scissortail, and there might be 500+ spots at the convention garage at the time of their gripe. I guarantee this will happen, as it already does in very similar scenarios.

. . my only complaint about the Arts Garage is when they up the charge at major events to a flat $10.00 regardless of how long you park. . i.e. Arts Festival. $10 even if you only want to pop in for lunch and a short stroll.

[Anonymous.]

i disagree it should absolutely NOT be free.

This is the first of this take I have heard. Can you please go voice this in the SC thread and explain your theory?

Thank you,

[Dob Hooligan]

I guess I am missing something - I don't understand why they are suggesting paid parking be implemented in Midtown and Auto Alley. The free and accessible parking is a large reason I frequent the areas. Not sure how marketing, wayfinding, or vacancy is improved by paid parking.

I read on the Oklahoman that the presentation to City Council mentioned that many prime, street parking spots in the Auto Alley area are being used by people who stay 6 or more hours at a time. I'm guessing the inference is that employees of those businesses are taking the best, closest spots, and paid parking in those areas should be an incentive for them to park farther away.

[GoGators]

It depends where you park. SC is a circular so if the lots are full upstream of event you have to take a long trip around. And inverse is if you happen to get parked upstream then after event you have to ride it almost a full circuit to get back to car. You have to think in terms of out of downtowners. To shop at OMNI shops they are not gonna do this. Park in a lot/garage and pay. Pay SC to ride it full circuit either before or after you shop. The SC is not friendly to people who drive to downtown. People like to park close to where they are going.

Now, if we had a bunch of micro buses running routes all over downtown it would be much easier plus buses can added in peak times plus can adjust route. In my SC scenario you also have to hope it doesn’t get stopped for a spell due to problems ahead.

So are you saying we need more parking downtown? Or are you saying each business needs it’s own parking lot in front?

I’m having a hard time understanding what specific point you’re making.

[OKC Guy]

So are you saying we need more parking downtown? Or are you saying each business needs it’s own parking lot in front?

I’m having a hard time understanding what specific point you’re making.

I was responding to those who said we had too much parking. If you go back and read I said it would be wise to table any talk of ridding spaces until after OMNI/CC/Park are all fully open and functioning.

[Plutonic Panda]

Too much is a good thing when you compare it to not having enough parking. Me and I think most people would choose the former. That said the parking culture in OKC where people want a spot right in front of their business is real.

I have relatives that live within 4-5 houses of each other in a suburban area with sidewalks and yet they will drive to each other’s houses. It’s really bizarre. I doubt that is caused due to over abundance of parking spaces. But the idea of having parking spaces in front of everywhere you want to go is absurd yes. People should walk a bit more.

[dankrutka]

Yet disabled people in NYC, LA, Chicago etc are able to do it somehow.

Yeah, they have dramatically more accessible and “walkable” Street design. OKC has so many gaps and inaccessible areas. But I agree with your premise that OKC should be designed as well as those cities.

[dankrutka]

I was responding to those who said we had too much parking. If you go back and read I said it would be wise to table any talk of ridding spaces until after OMNI/CC/Park are all fully open and functioning.

Aside that they’re overbuilding parking for those places too, there is such a dramatic over abundance of parking throughout the core that it really is not relevant. People aren’t parking in the parking district and walking to the Convention Center anyway. Parking needs to be cut everywhere.

[OKC Guy]

Aside that they’re overbuilding parking for those places too, there is such a dramatic over abundance of parking throughout the core that it really is not relevant. People aren’t parking in the parking district and walking to the Convention Center anyway. Parking needs to be cut everywhere.

Try finding spots during lunch its impossible

Cutting parking will cut business

[Plutonic Panda]

Try finding spots during lunch its impossible

Cutting parking will cut business

Personally, I have had no issues finding a parking spot in OKC EVER. During thunder games, lunch, dinner, arts festival, or anytime. Granted that doesn’t mean parking right in front of my destination.

[GoGators]

Try finding spots during lunch its impossible

Cutting parking will cut business

Empty parking spots don’t go shopping.

[Dob Hooligan]

I recall that the consultant told the City Council that too little parking is crippling to urban growth. Urban Renewal operated with that principle, and that is a big part of why we have so many parking areas now. A surface lot might be unattractive, but it is relatively low cost to install and easily removed when a better and higher use is found for the property.

[GoGators]

I recall that the consultant told the City Council that too little parking is crippling to urban growth. Urban Renewal operated with that principle, and that is a big part of why we have so many parking areas now. A surface lot might be unattractive, but it is relatively low cost to install and easily removed when a better and higher use is found for the property.

If the amount of parking had any correlation with urban growth, okc would look like Manhattan at this point. I hope this was said by a consultant to the council 30 years ago and we’ve since moved on from this antiquated way of thinking.

[dankrutka]

How does any business in NYC ever sell anything without billions of parking spots? This logic is lol. Parking is what fragments the urban core and results in less people on the streets. There is way way way too much parking the core. You need to look harder if you can’t find it. It’s there.

[Dob Hooligan]

Please help me understand what the problem is with abundant surface parking today? I think the reality is that Urban Renewal left us with much vacant land that still has not been developed, and surface parking is better than a dirt or scrub brush lot. Market growth will fill much of that land with buildings. Surface parking is not hindering growth, IMO.

Large scale developers want to control parking cost in our market. BancFirst and Continental Resources are buying the Santa Fe Garage because they want to know how many spaces they have guaranteed for their employees and visitors through the life span of their buildings.

[Jersey Boss]

I would be curious as to parking downtown in cities such as Louisville. SLC, or Indianapolis.

[Rover]

How does any business in NYC ever sell anything without billions of parking spots? This logic is lol. Parking is what fragments the urban core and results in less people on the streets. There is way way way too much parking the core. You need to look harder if you can’t find it. It’s there.

So, it would probably surprise you to know there are over 5 MILLION parking spaces in New York City. They have an incredible number of cars on the streets. NYC is very car saturated.

[GoGators]

So, it would probably surprise you to know there are over 5 MILLION parking spaces in New York City. They have an incredible number of cars on the streets. NYC is very car saturated.

5 million parking spaces for a population of 8.6 million. Let’s keep things in context. Most OKC residents would call for martial law with a ratio like that. I think there’s almost that many spots in Chisholm Creek alone.

[Plutonic Panda]

5 million parking spaces for a population of 8.6 million. Let’s keep things in context. Most OKC residents would call for martial law with a ratio like that. I think there’s almost that many spots in Chisholm Creek alone.

Lets also not forget the daytime population of Manhattan alone is 4+ million people. The CMSA+
is 20 million. Some parking spaces are 400 a month and around $5 a day. Rovers comments are out of perspective.

[Rover]

Lets also not forget the daytime population of Manhattan alone is 4+ million people. The CMSA+
is 20 million. Some parking spaces are 400 a month and around $5 a day. Rovers comments are out of perspective.

Over 3 mil on street and free Parking in NYC.
People who go to NYC know how important cars are in NYC.

[Rover]

How many total parking spaces are in OKC?

[BBatesokc]

People can say what they want and attribute it to perception or whatever, but I've personally known of a few businesses that either relocated to a different downtown location or moved out of downtown altogether because of the lack of or cost of convenient parking. Not saying there isn't any parking (there is), just saying there's a big difference between the existence of parking spaces and the perceived convenience and cost of parking and there is a lot of office vacancy downtown.

[GoGators]

How many total parking spaces are in OKC?

I can’t find an exact number but I would estimate easily around the 3 million range. There was a study in 5 cities and it found Des Moines had approx 1.6million parking spaces. With a land area of only 82 sq miles and population of only 217k, it’s not hard to imagine okc having 3 million or more spaces in its sprawling 621 sq mile city limits. That’s probably an underestimation.

[kukblue1]

Living over an hour from Chicago for 40 years you learned to take the train into town. Parking was expensive or impossible. Every try to park for a cubs game? You park at a college about 3 miles away and you take the shuttle if you wanted to drive or you took the train.