Free thoughts on a parking garage in downtown The Dalles

 The last thing this planet needs is more rebar and concrete poured out to support our automobile centered world.  Yet the City of The Dalles has concluded the need for a mutli-level parking structure in downtown The Dalles is inevitabe.  The task force outlined several options to increase parking availability downtown especially for employees of downtown businesses.  Most of these ideas repurpose existing infrastructure in order to increase availability of automobile parking downtown.  The task force concluded that ultimately none of the existing infrastructure will support the needs of downtown long term; a parking garage would eventually be necessary.

 Let me assert there is a longterm solution to the downtown parking problem that does not require investing further into the fading automobile age.  As the task force stated we do need employee only parking and time limits for general parking.  The problem I have is the task force suggests these limits be enforced "just by signage", which is another way of saying they will not enforced at all.  If meters were installed along downtown streets this problem would solve itself.  Customers wouldn't want to take up a parking space too long lest they be fined and employees would likely not park in these spots at all due to the high cost.

 With parking meters the city would have additional revenue which could be used for other improvements like bicycle parking structures which cost a hell of a lot less than multi-level automobile parking garages.  With meters in place customers may question whether taking the car downtown is worth the parking fee and opt to walk or bike.  The whole town is within biking distance of downtown for a healthy adult and some neighborhoods are within comfortable walking distance.  Likewise parking for employees could come with a small usage fee increasing revenues.  Again employees may opt for the free parking that comes with cycling instead of paying this small usage fee.

 The Dalles Transportation System Plan team has put together several potential improvements for cyclist and pedestrians as well as concluding that a bus system for the city is possibly viable.  These projects should be prioritized above any new parking structure.

It's time to stop designing cities around the insane notion that people need a five person motorcariage to haul them wherever they go.