(Danville) — The city has adopted a parking enforcement plan for the River District.
The Office of Economic Development & Tourism Thursday announced the results of a study led by the Parking Whisperer. It looked at the best ways to enforce parking rules in an area where parking is at a premium.
Assistant Department Director Kelvin Perry says recent growth in the district created concerns about parking. “We continue to see more people coming to downtown, not only to shop but to live,” Perry said. “It creates a critical mass and prompted this study.”
The new plan includes policies and procedures for smart enforcement by promoting free-flowing traffic while keeping the district “warm and inviting,” while also ensuring there are plenty of places for shoppers to park. “The biggest challenge is finding ways to direct people to the spots that are already available,” Perry said. “At the same time we want to be fairly enforcing any regulations and restrictions that are put into place.”
Perry says the plan is flexible enough to incorporate the many events that are hosted in the River District. And he says some restrictions might be different based on the clock and the calendar. “On Saturday those may be completely different than what they are Monday through Friday. Or maybe after six o’clock you have different restrictions than you have during business hours,” Perry said.
The city has plans for parking garages on Spring and Lynn Streets. Perry says those help, but are only part of the solution. “You still have to direct people on where to go. People still have to understand the regulations where it is in a garage or not,” Perry said.
The city will also implement a residential permit parking program in some areas. Perry says that is a work in progress. “We need to meet with residents to make sure they know what the rules are. That way if you live downtown you’ll know where you can and cannot park,” Perry said.
And Perry says the plan is open-ended to anticipate future growth. “We’ve got a Riverfront Park that’s going to be opening next year, you’ve got development at the former White Mill. We might have another hotel coming into the Masonic Temple building.
The Danville Police Department was a pivotal part of the study.