Title
Downtown Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Plan Implementation Update Including After-Hours Parking Program
Body
RECOMMENDED ACTION (Motion):
No action is needed by the Commission.
BACKGROUND:
Transportation Demand Management Implementation
In 2017, the City Commission adopted a Transportation Demand Management Plan for the Willamette Falls Legacy Project and surrounding downtown area. The plan lays out future actions that will improve access to the Riverwalk and to downtown Oregon City through improved management of parking and transportation. The goal of the plan is to “increase the universe of trips” while minimizing congestion by creating safe connections to the Riverwalk, using multiple transportation modes, and managing parking efficiently.
The Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Plan will add parking and trip capacity to our downtown, benefiting business owners, employees, customers, and residents. The City has gathered a Working Group of stakeholders to implement the plan and has been awarded a Regional Travel Options grant to fund the next three years of TDM projects.
The projects proposed and underway for the next three years include:
1. After Hours Parking Program (see details below)
2. Data Collection, including a new parking study and a Travel Behavior Survey
3. A pedestrian, bicycle, and wayfinding needs inventory and action plan
4. Coordination with the Riverwalk team to plan for the Riverwalk parking
The group has been hard at work coordinating and implementing the TDM plan. Staff will discuss recent projects including data collection and an after-hours parking program.
After Hours Parking Program
The City of Oregon City, in conjunction with the downtown Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Working Group, is facilitating an After-Hours Shared Parking program for downtown Oregon City. The City hopes to work with owners of downtown and bluff area parking lots to make their parking spaces available to the general public during evening and weekend hours when the parking lot is not utilized for the primary business. The intent of this program is to provide convenient parking for downtown visitors and customers in the busy evening and weekend hours, when many restaurant and retail uses on Main Street are at their peak.
The City is seeking property owners who would like to participate in the program. The details of the program will be captured in an agreement between the City and each participating property owner. Our current assumptions include:
• The parking will be free of charge. In the future, paid parking may be pursued with an amended agreement.
• The hours of public parking are proposed as 6PM to midnight on weekdays and 7AM to midnight on weekends, or otherwise determined by the needs of the property owner.
• The City will provide attractive signage to advertise the parking lot with the hours and business name or logo. This sign will also indicate that the property owner is not liable for damage to vehicles.
• The Downtown Association clean team will ensure that the parking lot is cleaned of any debris resulting from the after-hours use.
• Property owners may opt out of the program for any reason with notice to the City.
The City plans to include the City Hall parking lot in the program, and staff has been in touch with two downtown property owners who are interested in participating.
BUDGET IMPACT:
Amount: $150,000 of grant funding for TDM work, plus $1,000 - $2,000 in funding for parking lot signage.
FY(s): now through 2022
Funding Source: Regional Travel Options grant, Tourism budget for signage