Photograph by Steven Higgs
A citizens’ group report says government needs to adopt policies that promote alternatives to cars downtown. Mass transit, bicycles and people living downtown are better for the community, the environment and citizens.
While spaces sit empty in garages downtown, Bloomington toys with the idea of building another one. But for some, the thought of another parking garage just does not make sense.
“I think there is evidence that the city should not be building more parking (garages),” said Buff Brown, the president and founder of Bloomington Transportation Options for People (B-TOP).
Last month B-TOP released its response to Bloomington’s “Downtown Parking Master Plan Draft Report.” And while B-TOP did agree with some of the report’s findings, it articulated concern about the draft’s failure to address the dangers of excess parking and to emphasize the impacts parking supply, demand and price have on citizens’ transportation choices.
Talk of a new downtown garage started after Finelight Strategic Marketing Communications last spring revealed plans to build a new headquarters at Washington Street and Kirkwood Avenue. Finelight has said it will not carry out the plan unless Bloomington provides enough parking for the new building.
Finelight already has 120 spots downtown. But its wish to grow to 250 employees requires over 100 more.
However, the city wopuld not commit to a new, $4.7 millon garage before the Walker Parking Consultant’s report was finished. City officials revealed the “Downtown Parking Master Plan Draft” in late February.
While the study acknowledges that Bloomington’s existing parking does satisfy its demand, the report projects a parking deficiency within five years. It discusses three scenarios that predict future growth of 3, 5 and 7 percent, based on historic trends.
But there is no proof of this historical data in the report, said Brown.
“When we accommodate the growth of cars, we get them,” he said. “But if we accommodate the movement of people by transit – bike and bus – downtown will continue to grow with people, not cars.”
People think car use and parking is completely out of our control, but that is just not true, he said. B-TOP’s response to the draft report makes this clear.
Parking is a major factor in people’s choice of transportation, said Brown. As more and more parking spots are made available, more and more cars will find their way into downtown Bloomington.
For Brown and other B-TOP members, this is a problem.
For every parking spot there is an opportunity cost for the city, wrote B-TOP. Land that could be used to bring in potential business and create living space is being used to house cars. If the city is to meet its “vibrant downtown” goal, it needs more people on the streets, not cars.
“What I think the government and people don’t understand is that other modes (of transportation) are a good thing for the planet, city, person and the community,” said Brown. But the government tends to cater to the car.
And the degree to which parking spots are utilized depends on their cost to the driver, according to the draft report. On that point, B-TOP agrees.
“If you provide lots of free parking – people drive,” said Brown. “If you provide good transit, people use alternative routes.”
And B-TOP’s response hopes to foster these alternative routes. However, it seems that the draft report does not. It is biased toward car use, said Brown.
According to B-TOP’s response, the report does not include the alternative of setting parking policy, supply and price so that Bloomington meets its stated goal of making the city more transit-oriented.
And Brown believes that, for Bloomington to meet that goal, government must promote alternative transportation.
“The downtown cities that are most successful focus on alternative transportation,” he said. “… These cities accommodate those ways so people are using it.”
Bloomington Transit is a reliable system, said Brown. But it needs to make a shift to be more competitive with driving.
“If we can streamline (the system) then mainstream people, that is people with cars, might consider transit as an option,” he said.
B-TOP’s response was submitted to the city on March 22. Bloomington is still awaiting Walker's revised parking plan for the city.
“I would be very surprised if the city were to suggest to build more parking,” said Brown.
Erica Ballard can be reached at elballar@indiana.edu.