PLAZA DISTRICT:
A PARKING BLUEPRINT Plaza District Association The City of Oklahoma City OU Institute for Quality Communities
CONTENTS Executive Summary
1
Introduction to Urban Parking 2 Plaza District Parking Blueprint
3
Parking Blueprint Map
3
Parking Management Strategies
5
Physical Strategies
7
Conditions Study
9
Surveys
9
Walkability and Lighting
11
Parking Instructions and Wayfinding
12
Driving Behavior and Pedestrian Conflicts
12
Customers Within Walk/Bike Distance
13
Occupancy Study
14
Calculated Parking Demand
15
Next Steps
16
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Community Members Plaza District business and property owners Classen Ten Penn Neighborhood Association Gatewood Neighborhood Association Plaza District Association Kristen Vails Gilpin, Executive Director Cayla Lewis City of Oklahoma City Planning Department Staff Ian Colgan, AICP, Assistant Planning Director Kim Cooper-Hart, AICP, Senior Planner Jennifer Gates, AICP, Associate Planner Trey Ingram, Intern OU Institute for Quality Communities - College of Architecture Shane Hampton, IQC Fellow Anna Siprikova, Regional and City Planning Kyler Hallmark, Environmental Design Leah Schroeder, Architecture
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Plaza District has become a major destination for people from all over central Oklahoma. Shops, restaurants, venues, and other businesses have filled most of the existing commercial space in the district, testing the limits of the available parking supply. This study considers the conditions that impact the parking experience in the district and examines patterns of parking occupancy. Successful urban districts are very likely to experience a constrained parking supply. At certain peak times and on event nights, the Plaza District is starting to fill its supply of parking, and many customers are parking on residential side streets. A comprehensive menu of strategies for parking in the Plaza District includes: • • • • •
Marketing and infrastructure strategies that encourage alternative modes of transportation, such as walking, bicycling, or carpooling. Wayfinding strategies that presents a consistent set of instructions to visitors. Management strategies that segment customer demand for parking by duration of stay, preference for convenient parking, and willingness to pay. Physical strategies that distribute parking areas throughout the district, such as new on-street parking on side streets or alleys. Design guidelines that set expectations for the quality of design and screening strategies for off-street parking areas adjacent to public streets.
The strategies presented can be layered and alternated over time to create a comprehensive and flexible parking management program. Some can be implemented quickly and with less funding and red tape. Others will be long-term opportunistic strategies that coincide with developments or street construction. Most importantly, each new strategy will require participation from all Plaza District stakeholders to make possible. The Plaza District is a neighborhood of collaborative entrepreneurs, and that is a great starting place for implementation. While parking in the district may never match that of new retail developments, the supply can be managed and sensitively expanded to ensure that a visit to the Plaza District remains one of the most unique and interesting experiences in Oklahoma City.
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INTRODUCTION TO URBAN PARKING Accommodating cars in historic commercial districts is a growing challenge for Oklahoma City as businesses open in areas that were not originally developed with modern expectations about parking. Communities are challenged to apply strategies that meet the expectations of visitors and customers. New strategies include influencing transportation decisions, managing where and how people park, and carefully controlling the location and design of new parking supply. Transportation Decisions People make transportation decisions based on an intuitive calculation of costs and benefits. Costs that influence the decision to drive a car include the time to travel to the district and locate a parking space, the distance between parking and the final destination, and any monetary parking fees. The costs of biking or walking include the time to the district, energy expended, and barriers to walkability, such as safety. Ample free parking supply incentivizes driving to the district, even if a visitor lives close enough to walk or bike. Constrained parking supply increases the perceived cost of driving, and makes carpooling, walking, or biking more attractive options. Improvements to pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure decrease the perceived cost of walking and biking. Where and How People Park There are several categories of visitors with different needs and preferences for parking. For example, there is a significant difference between an employee who parks for five to eight hours and a customer who parks for less than two hours. Depending on turnover rates, a single parking space may serve two or three employees in a day, or twenty to sixty customers. It is highly important to influence or require employees to park outside of areas of high demand. Visitors can also be categorized by those who put a premium on convenient parking and those who don’t mind parking further away. Management strategies can help ensure that the most convenient parking is available for the customers who prioritize it the most. Location and Design of Parking Parking lots have an impact on the character and walkability of residential neighborhoods and sidewalks that surround them. Design guidelines should ensure that new parking lots and on-street parking are attractive and complementary to surrounding properties.
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PLAZA DISTRICT PARKING BLUEPRINT This blueprint shows the major sources of parking that exist in the Plaza District and identifies locations where new parking strategies could be implemented. The strategies are presented in the body of this report.
India
UNRESTRICTED MARKED 17th Street PARKING SUPPLY
na
Callouts show major sources of marked public or shared parking in the district. A table is available on page 15. Side Street on-street parking: 19 spaces on Indiana, 8 spaces on Gatewood, 9 spaces on Blackwelder. Lyric Theater Lots (restricted during performances): 64 spaces west lot, 25 spaces east lot
16th Street on-street parking: 42 spaces west of Gatewood, 16 spaces east of Gatewood
16th Street
ESTIMATED PRIVATE PARKING SUPPLY Bolded numbers show estimated private parking supply. Private parking supply fluctuates depending on how efficiently unmarked lots are used and possible double-parking.
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The private parking supply is at least 95 spaces. There are additional private parking spaces in informal locations.
ESTIMATED UNMARKED PARKING SUPPLY 15th Street
Indiana
The occupancy study found an unmarked parking supply, including immediate side streets, that fluctuates based how efficiently cars are parked. The maximum recorded was 77 spaces.
Blackwelder
ood Gatew
OPPORTUNITIES FOR NEW PARKING Enhance clarity or rebuild on-street parking in residential areas Opportunity site for employee parking agreement
10
Identified location for potential valet stand
Opportunity sites for carefully designed off-street parking and possible infill development 12 10
Opportunity for reconstructed alley with angled parking Opportunity site for permanent off-street parking and possible infill development
5
Gatewood
40
Opportunity for reconstructed street with angled parking
Blackwelder
Enhance clarity or rebuild on-street parking in residential areas
PARKING MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES Parking management strategies can reduce, shift, and manage demand for parking. The menu of strategies listed below could be used together for an effective parking management system. A perfect balance of parking is unlikely in an urban neighborhood such as the Plaza District. Parking supply has an impact on how people choose to access the district: Constrained parking is likely to provide an incentive for some visitors to choose carpooling or an alternate mode of transportation, while abundant parking is likely to incentivize driving to the district. These strategies aim to address to manage the parking supply and physically increase the supply of parking.
BIKE-FRIENDLY BUSINESS DISTRICT
TIME LIMITS OR METERED PARKING
Bike-friendly business districts feature physical elements and programming to incentivize more customers to access the district by bike.
Incentivizing biking and walking reduces demand for automobile parking. About 45,000 people could reach the Plaza District in a 10-minute bike ride. Many people already cycle to the district, especially during special events when parking is scarce. Cycling fits with the hip and urban image of the district.
Time limits or metered parking associate a cost with the most convenient parking spaces. These strategies would discourage employees from parking in the most convenient spaces. Additionally, they would help ensure that visitors planning to stay for longer periods will park in more distant parking areas, and leave the most convenient spaces available more often for visitors making short trips. A local example of a commercial district with a highly managed parking supply is Campus Corner in Norman. Campus Corner utilizes meters and time limits for public parking. Campus Corner property owners utilize token or receipt validation for private parking.
Implementation
Why It Might Fit
Plaza District Association • Develop branding and marketing for a bike-friendly district program. • Develop programming for bike-friendly district, including community rides, bike valet, or rewards programs. • Develop maps and wayfinding to demonstrate safe cycling routes to the district that can be included on district website. • Seek funding or donation for bicycle amenities such as bike racks or a repair station.
On-street parking on 16th Street is the most valuable and convenient parking for businesses in the Plaza District. While most people visiting the district spend less than two hours there, some employees or long-stay customers are occupying the most convenient parking spaces. Additionally, occupancy exceeded 85% many times throughout the study. This occupancy rate indicates a need for more stringent parking management.
Business Owners • Offer discounts, specials, or events for cyclists.
City and Plaza District Association • Determine an acceptable pricing or time limit structure.
City • Improve wayfinding and navigation for cyclists with sharrow markings. • Improve safety and walkability on side streets and strategic arterial crossings.
City • Determine feasibility of parking enforcement in this area. • Determine feasibility of revenue sharing with district through a Parking Benefits District. • Install time limit signage or meters.
Why It Might Fit
5
Implementation
DESIGNATED EMPLOYEE PARKING
VALET SERVICE
Employee parking areas are designated lots near the edge of the district with good security and lighting.
A district valet service would serve customers who are willing to pay for extremely convenient access. The valet station would be located in a central location and cars would be parked in designated lots nearby.
Why It Might Fit Due to very high occupancy on 16th, it is important to reserve on-street parking for customers. Rather than parking in premium visitor spots, employees should have access to safe parking in nearby locations. Implementation Plaza District Association • Identify parking lots and agreements for employee parking. • Create sticker for district employees to display, allowing for casual enforcement. Business Owners • Strictly address and enforce employee parking requirements to staff.
Why It Might Fit Certain visitors place a premium on convenient parking, and are willing to pay. Valet provides an alternative to occupying premium spaces or a potentially inconvenient walk. Implementation Plaza District Association • Work with business and property owners to identify a location and means of contracting valet service. • Work with owners of nearby parking lots to establish shared parking agreements that allow the district to use the lots.
PRIVATE MANAGEMENT Strategies include pay-to-park boxes, an attendant to collect a parking fee, or validation of receipts or parking tokens from participating businesses. Valet service can also compliment private parking systems. Why It Might Fit Some owners may wish to ensure that parking spaces are available for their own tenants and customers. Like public parking, private parking costs money to provide and maintain, and these costs can only be recovered through rent, sales, or parking fees. Implementation Property Owners • Determine and clearly communicate an appropriate parking management strategy for individual lots.
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PHYSICAL STRATEGIES Physical strategies can expand or organize the supply of parking spaces. These recommended strategies are an attempt to distribute additional parking throughout the district. Through the application of good design guidelines, an increase in parking facilities can have a positive impact on the area’s appearance and walkability. Wayfinding signage and improvements to walkability and lighting can also enhance the parking experience.
OFF-STREET PARKING GUIDELINES Design guidelines can help ensure that new off-street parking lots contribute to the good appearance of the district. Guidelines should limit the number of curb cuts, encourage access from alleys, require adequate lighting, and set expectations for screening the lot from adjacent properties and public areas with walls, fences, or landscaping. Why It Might Fit Off-street parking provides legitimate, safe places to park during peak hours. Guidelines can hold off-street parking lots to quality design standards. Implementation City • Strengthen design guidelines or regulations for off-street parking lots.
Example off-street parking design used in Automobile Alley.
Property Owners • Commit to quality design that considers the impact of the lot on adjacent properties and public spaces.
DISTRICT WAYFINDING A cohesive, coordinated look is needed for wayfinding and parking instructional signage in the district. Why It Might Fit Cohesive signage tells people where to go for easier navigation by car, bike, or on foot. A consistent look helps people identify where to find wayfinding information. Implementation Plaza District Association • Work with business and property owners to determine the look, location, and content of wayfinding signage. Plaza District Wayfinding System Example 7
ON-STREET AND ALLEY PARKING Antojitos Guatemaltecos
PhotoArt Studios
Empire Slice House
Friendly Foods
Why It Might Fit On-street parking distributes close, convenient parking in locations throughout the district. These parking locations can help reduce the strain on the parking supply on 16th Street.
N. Gatewood Avenue
Some side streets or alleys could be reconstructed with angled or parallel parking lanes to increase the number of spaces in the district, as visualized in the graphics below. These changes can be made concurrently with improvements to lighting and walkability.
16th Street
Residential
Implementation City • Consider including parking lanes when reconstructing side streets. • Work with property owners to acquire easements when necessary. Property Owners • Contribute small easements adjacent to public right-of-way to make space for organized parking. • Consider including street-accessed parking in development and redevelopment projects.
SIDE STREET PARKING Side street parking in residential areas is an important source of auxiliary parking. Organizing these parking areas with delineated parking spaces would clarify where parking is allowed. Why it Might Fit Side street parking has benefits, such as traffic calming and safety buffers for sidewalks, but it can cause problems such as blocked driveways or impassable streets. Clarification of where parking is allowed, such as striping spaces on the street, will help prevent the negative impacts of parking on residential side streets. Implementation City (with Neighborhood Associations) • Determine where parking is allowed. • Delineate parking spaces.
Example opportunities to include new on-street parking through public-private partnerships in concert with new developments or street projects on Blackwelder or in the alley between 15th and 16th Street. 8
CONDITIONS STUDY The Plaza District Parking Blueprint strategies in this report were derived from a series of findings in this conditions study. The conditions study examined factors that contribute to the experience of navigation between a parking location and the ultimate destination in the district. The study also considers how the conditions of the district and surrounding neighborhoods affect the likelihood that visitors will choose transportation other than the car. • • • • • •
Online surveys of more than 700 district patrons and business owners provided a picture of how people park and interact with the district. Analysis of walkability and lighting conditions showed how surrounding neighborhoods are disconnected from the quality pedestrian infrastructure of the district. Census data provided the number of customers within biking and walking distance, to test the feasibility of attracting large customer bases who do not need to drive. The team evaluated parking instructions and wayfinding to determine if instructions are being clearly and consistently communicated. The behaviors of drivers and pedestrians were also considered to identify safety concerns. A field study tracked parking occupancy patterns and analyzed calculated parking demand.
SURVEYS We received more than 700 responses to an online survey about parking. Over half of responses were patrons who visit the Plaza District at least on a weekly basis. The survey revealed many important considerations about how people park and interact with the district. This information is a valuable factor used to calibrate selected parking management strategies.
How often do you visit more than one business when you go to the Plaza?
75%
Visit more than one business 35% 40%
• • •
•
9
Half of visitors are willing to walk more than one block for parking. This indicates that extreme proximity is not of high importance for most visitors. Most visitors go to multiple businesses on each trip to the district. This indicates that individual parking for each business is not critical. Half of visitors are parked for less than two hours, and a quarter of visitors stay for up to three hours. Time limits would affect only a small portion of visitors who are likely to park some distance from 16th Street. Evenings and weekends are the busiest times. Parking management and enforcement would have more impact at those times.
Always
Usually
Sometimes
1% 4%
20%
Rarely Never
How far are you willing to walk? 51%
How often do you shop/dine/visit the Plaza?
82%
39%
Visit the Plaza weekly and monthly
38%
44%
Monthly
Weekly
One block More than 1 block
Daily Less than 1/2 block
8% Special Occasions
3% 7%
10%
Rarely
How long are you typically parked?
90%
61% Stay less than 2 hours
Are willing to walk a block or more
49%
26%
Max 2 hrs
Max 3 hrs
Max 1 hr
Where do you park most often?
Max 4 hrs 4%
28% 16%
On Side street
Friday
1-2 blocks away
Evening is the busiest time of the week.
9%
29%
Over 4 hrs
541
470
In front 15% of business On 16th
12%
Parking Lots
367
13%
311
314
312 290
249
241 208
205
When do you visit the district?
168
168
160
161
134 Morning Afternoon Evening Late
41
27
Monday
67
47
48 29 Tuesday
28 Wednesday
61 24
Thursday
63
62
23 Friday
Saturday
Sunday
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WALKABILITY
LIGHTING
Visitors need a safe, comfortable walk between their parking space and ultimate destination. The walkability of surrounding areas is also critical to incentivize more residents of nearby neighborhoods to choose walking. Walkability is excellent on 16th Street, but pedestrian connections to neighborhoods are in poor condition.
The Plaza District’s busiest hours often fall after dark. Street and parking lot lighting is important to promote a feeling of safety for the district’s visitors, business owners, and employees. Street lighting on 16th Street is excellent, but lighting on residential streets is sparse and in need of maintenance, especially south of the district. Better lighting the side streets could increase the appeal of walking through the neighborhood.
District Walkability
District Lighting
Good Conditions
Light
Poor Conditions
Parking Lot Lighting
Walkability on Residential Streets CURRENT LIGHTING
On 15th Street, the sidewalk is in poor condition and is often blocked by debris that keeps people from using it. Also, 17th Street has poorly maintained and inconsistent sidewalks. Walkability on Side Streets Indiana, Gatewood, and Blackwelder are heavily used for parking and pedestrian access to the Plaza District. These streets typically lack sufficient sidewalks and have driveways with parked cars that block the path for pedestrians, forcing people to walk in the street. These streets are particularly important because they are critical links to make walking to the Plaza District a comfortable and safe experience.
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Off-street parking lots in the district are typically near the edges, where public lighting is less concentrated. For the most part, parking lots provide adequate lighting. There is room for improvement, particularly in off-street parking areas south of the district. Lighting for surface lots can be easily designed to prevent light shed into adjacent residential properties.
PARKING INSTRUCTIONS AND WAYFINDING Creating uniform signage in the district could help to address the confusion about where parking is permitted. The Plaza District’s largest parking lot is the Lyric Theater lot near the Lyric Academy. Most nights the Lyric Theater lot is open to the public, but the signage isn’t clear about the lot’s usage and restrictions. The district has communicated that businesses should use the large Lyric Theater lot and other parking areas at the edge of the district for employee parking. However, it appears that many employees still park in on-street parking that should be reserved for visitors.
DRIVING BEHAVIOR AND PEDESTRIAN CONFLICTS Traffic behavior in the Plaza District is typically pedestrian-friendly. Drivers were observed traveling at slower speeds and stopping at unsignalized crosswalks to allow pedestrians to cross. A smaller number of drivers were observed traveling at high speeds through the district. Pedestrians tend to feel safe crossing 16th Street at unmarked areas. Because the street has very active storefronts on both sides, the entire area tends to be used for crossing the street, in spite of marked or signalized crosswalks that are provided. While this may currently qualify as illegal behavior, it seems to be an understanding between drivers and pedestrians. New signage signaling that drivers should expect pedestrians in the entire area will help enforce this understanding and make it official.
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CUSTOMERS WITHIN WALK/BIKE DISTANCES 5-MINUTE WALK
The map below shows the high potential for the Plaza District to reach thousands of people within short walking and biking distances. Concentric rings represent five- and ten-minute walk and bike distances.
2,600 residents
10-MINUTE WALK
Encouraging more people who live within these short distances to walk or bike to the district reduces the number of parking spaces required to support the district. Additionally, it ensures that parking spaces are more likely to be available for people coming from longer distances.
7,200 residents
5-8 MINUTE BIKE 16,000 residents
10-15 MINUTE BIKE
45,400 residents
Classen
Shartel
Pennsylvania
Villa
Walkability and bike safety improvements could encourage more people to choose walking or biking to the district. A particular opportunity is to strengthen connections between the Plaza District and Oklahoma City University. Pedestrian crossings of 23rd Street do not provide safe access for university students traveling by bike or on foot.
23rd
Oklahoma City University
Uptown
16th
10th
Midtown
Civic Center
13
Broadway
Paseo
OCCUPANCY STUDY The central aspect of the parking blueprint is the occupancy study, which recorded occupancy in the district at a total of 31 time periods. The study included a weekday and weekend (11 a.m.-11 p.m.). An evening with a Lyric Theater production (5 p.m.-9 p.m.) was also included. The occupancy study revealed many the following patterns of parking in the district: • • • •
Peak periods are lunch and dinner on weekdays and all day on weekends. Except during events, these peak periods do not approach full occupancy throughout the district. Even during periods of low overall occupancy, on-street parking is heavily occupied. This may contribute to a perception of a parking problem. Residential side-street parking occurs during periods of low overall occupancy, because those locations are often closer to the destination than distant lots. Visitors tend to find a way to park, even if it means getting creative. At peak periods during events, the parking supply is effectively increased by unmarked parking spaces and parking in illegal areas.
The 85% Threshold According to parking expert Donald Shoup (“The High Cost of Free Parking”), 85% is the most efficient and preferred occupancy rate for on-street, storefront parking. Beyond this rate, drivers will likely be circling the block and searching for parking.
OCCUPANCY OF PRIMARY PARKING SOURCES Wednesday, 3/19 Occupancy Rates 16th Street vs Lyric-Owned Lots
Wednesday, March 19, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. 100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
11 a
12
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11 p
5
6
7
8
9
10
11 p
5
6
7
8
9
10
11 p
Friday, 3/21 Occupancy Rates 16th Street vs Lyric-Owned Lots
Friday, March 21, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. 100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
The graphs to the right divide most of the district’s parking into two major sources: 16th Street on-street parking spaces, and the two off-street parking lots owned by Lyric Theater. On-street parking on 16th Street frequently surpasses this 85% threshold. Since these spaces are the most convenient and visible, people are likely to perceive that it is difficult to park if these spaces are more than 85% occupied. While the small Lyric Theater-owned parking lot at the center of the district is often heavily occupied, the large lot at the west end of the district does not approach the 85% threshold except on Lyric Theater event nights. Other parking areas at the edge of the district tend to be heavily occupied only at peak event times. During non-event times, a portion of the demand for parking can be shifted from on-street parking to larger surface lots. Currently, there is no incentive or management technique that prevents an employee or all-day visitor from occupying the most convenient parking spaces. Parking management techniques, such as time limits for premium spaces, would aim to segment customers by duration of stay, so that those planning longer trips will be incentivized to use more distant parking lots, while more convenient spaces will have higher turnover for visitors making shorter trips.
11 a
12
1
2
3
4
Friday, 3/28 Occupancy Rates 16th Street vs Lyric-Owned Lots
Friday, March 28, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. 100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
11 a
12
1
2
3
4
16th St. On-Street Parking Lyric Off-Street Parking 85% Occupancy
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CALCULATED PARKING DEMAND Parking demand was calculated by City Staff using Urban Land Institute Shared Parking model. Two parking scenarios are presented from this model: Unadjusted Demand and Adjusted Demand. Unadjusted Demand The model predicts a peak demand of 574 spaces, when including the Lyric Theater and church parking demand. According to this model, city staff found that based on unrestricted spaces in the district there would be a shortage of 244 spaces. This theoretical shortage is not currently supported by the occupancy study. Adjusted Demand A second model recalibrated the model for shared parking demand based on adjusted assumptions (Table 2). This model adds a new layer by taking into account the number of employees, operating hours, and high traffic times reported by district stakeholders. The peak demand under these assumptions is much lower, at around 427 spaces including both the Lyric Theater and church. The gap between calculated parking demand and parking supply represents a projected shortage of around 100 spaces that may spill over to neighborhood onstreet parking during peak event times. The adjusted shared parking model most closely predicted actual occupancy observed in the district. The highest number of vehicles recorded on a non-event weekend was 294, closely mirroring the adjusted peak shared demand calculation. The highest number of vehicles recorded on a Lyric Theater event night was 360, falling short of the predicted calculation.
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Table 1: Unadjusted Peak Demand Unrestricted Spaces* Without Lyric and 248 Church With Lyric and Church 330
Unadjusted Peak Shortage Shared Demand (ULI) 424 176 574
244
Table 2: Adjusted Peak Demand Unrestricted Spaces* Without Lyric and 248 Church With Lyric and Church 330
Adjusted Peak Shortage Shared Demand (ULI) 297 49 427
97
* Unrestricted spaces include delineated on-street parking and off-street parking lots that are not identified as tow-away zones for non-customers.
Table 3: Total Parking Observed in District Location
Number of Spaces
Notes
Marked Public On-Street Parking
104
Lyric Theater Lots
89
Estimated Private Parking Supply
95
Additional private parking is claimed in informal locations.
Estimated Unmarked Parking Supply
77+
The unmarked parking supply includes side streets and unmarked spaces. 77 is the highest number of unmarked spaces occupied during the occupancy study.
Total
365+
Additional spaces are unmarked on side streets and alleys. Shared except during performances. Increases to 99+ during peak times due to unmarked spaces.
NEXT STEPS As the Plaza District continues to grow, more pressure will be placed on the parking supply. The Plaza District Parking Blueprint is a guide for applying strategies that will help manage and add to the parking supply of the district. The strategies presented in the blueprint can be layered and alternated over time to create a comprehensive and flexible parking management program. While some strategies can be implemented very quickly, others will evolve over time as streetscape and development projects occur. Plaza District stakeholders should stay engaged in discussions during the implementation of parking management strategies and provide input to ensure that the details are a good fit. Business owners, property owners, and district staff all have roles to play in creating a parking management program that will keep the Plaza District strong for years to come.
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