I received an Excel document from JoAnne Easland, thanks JoAnne, detailing the occupancy of the parking garages downtown. I have not had a chance to spend a lot of time looking at it but what I have seen is that they have on average about 1 or 2 hours a day when the ramps are at 90% and less than an hour when the ramps are 100% capacity for the 5 ramps in the document. The document only details between 9am to 6pm so it does not capture late night or weekend events. At capacity, I�m assuming that other parking locations are utilized or they turn around a go home . . . or uses another transportation mode next time.
It was mentioned that special events could add the parking to the ticket but this would, I think, promote auto use and those of use who choose to use other modes will be paying for something we are not using. The Blues Festival adds a parking fee to the ticket which sucks since I biked their and paid for something I did not use. It seems to be an expensive policy to design for max capacity, when that is rarely reached. We do the same with roads since the belt line is even close to being at capacity when it is not rush 15 minutes. Madison does not have a rush hour, in the morning or evening, so I prefer to not use that term. Most of the roads are only at capacity in one direction depending on the time of day, before work or after work so that seems to be a waste of funds. Alternate forms of transportation would seem to be the key. Folks tend to complain about Metro but it is better than many other places I have been and I would agree that if Metro was more efficient it would greatly increase the ability to reduce demand for parking by getting folks out of their cars. With the cost estimated at $30k per spot for constructing a parking spot in a ramp (any idea on maintenance cost?) what is the payback on that ramp? How much is gained for that $30k and do we ever get even close on recouping the construction cost let alone the yearly cost of maintenance and manning the ramp? My 2 cents. ===== Steve Tudisco "I hold it that a little rebellion, now and then, is a good thing . . . It is medicine necessary for the sound health of government." -- Thomas Jefferson __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus.yahoo.com _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies
