Downtown Memphis Parking Study by DowntownMemphis

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

Prepared for

Downtown Memphis Commission and Memphis Medical District Collaborative by

Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates

MEMPHIS MEDICAL DISTRICT COLLABORATIVE

November 2019

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS PARKING STUDY WORKING GROUP

DOWNTOWN PARKING AUTHORITY

Ron Belz, President and Chief Executive Officer, Belz Enterprises Suzanne Carlson, Transportation and Mobility Project Manager, Innovate Memphis Stephen Edwards, Transportation Planning Program Manager, City of Memphis Bobbi Gillis, Center City Revenue Finance Corporation Board of Directors Terry Glover, Engineer/Designer, City of Memphis Adam Groveman, Director of Development, Belz Enterprises Marcus Harris, President, Downtown Neighborhood Association Ken Johnson, Engineer, City of Memphis John Lancaster, Director of Planning and Scheduling, Memphis Area Transit Authority Terry Lynch, President, The Southland Companies Doug McGowen, Chief Operating Officer, City of Memphis Shanea McKinney, Downtown Parking Authority Board of Directors Abby Miller, Vice President, Memphis Medical District Collaborative David Perry, Director, Facility Services, AutoZone John Pontius, Downtown Memphis Commission Board of Directors Marty Regan, Lawyer, Lewis Thomason Gary Rosenfeld, Chief Executive Officer, Memphis Area Transit Authority Alex Turley, Vice President of Real Estate, Henry Turley Company Dawn Vinson, Project Manager, Dawn Vinson Consulting Paul Young, Director, Division of Housing and Community Development, City of Memphis John Zeanah, Director, Memphis and Shelby County Division of Planning and Development

Shanea McKinney, Chairman John Golwen, Secretary & Treasurer Suzanne Carlson Alvin Crook Shara Goldin Travis Green Wayne West

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

DOWNTOWN MEMPHIS COMMISSION STAFF Jennifer Oswalt, President Brett Roler, Vice President of Planning and Development Ellery Ammons, Development Coordinator Abram Lueders, Planning and Development Analyst Penelope Huston, Vice President of Marketing and Communications

MEMPHIS MEDICAL DISTRICT COLLABORATIVE STAFF Tommy Pacello, President

CONSULTANT TEAM Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates MKSK Studios Allworld Project Management

CONTENTS 1 2 3 4 5

6 7

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 OVERVIEW. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 KEY FINDINGS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 DOWNTOWN GROWTH AND PARKING DEMAND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 SUBAREA-LEVEL PROFILES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Downtown Core. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 South Main . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Civic Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 The Pinch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 South End. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 South City. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 The Edge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Medical District . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 RECOMMENDATIONS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Recommendations Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 Implementation Action Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 PARKING INVESTMENT DECISION PROCESS AND IMPLEMENTATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

iii

1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY WHY THIS STUDY? The Downtown Memphis Commission (DMC) and the Memphis Medical District Collaborative (MMDC) initiated this study to tackle the issue of parking head-on, as the status quo is no longer working. The day-to-day parking experience is a defining issue for the future of Downtown growth, with many different uses competing for parking throughout the day. Memphis needs a new parking approach if its Downtown is going to achieve its larger goals. Current parallel planning efforts have presented an ambitious vision for Downtown

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

Memphis. The DMC led this study to help reframe parking, not as the end itself, but as a means to an end.

COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH The strategies presented in this plan represent a new era for parking in Downtown. Adding more parking lots and garages can no longer be the only answer. Solving Downtown Memphisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; parking challenges in the face of projected growth requires a multi-faceted set of solutions with the following goals:

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Continue to grow. Right-sizing parking supply through new policies will allow Downtown Memphis to add more development without having to absorb the high cost of adding new parking.

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Ensure economic vitality. Improved management can ensure that parking provides consistent access to existing and future businesses.

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Reduce congestion. Increased congestion is a threat to Downtown’s success. Efficient parking management can help to support reduced reliance on single-occupancy vehicle trips.

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Retain current employers and attract new employers. Many employers call Downtown Memphis home, and more and more businesses want to locate here. Convenient parking, supported by transit, biking, and walking infrastructure and programs, will help attract the best and brightest.

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Address housing affordability. Parking increases housing costs. Providing the right amount of parking and managing it effectively can help Downtown Memphis provide more housing choices and improve affordability.

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Reduce transportation inequities. Many cannot afford to own a car or park Downtown. Improved parking choices tied to additional multimodal investments can strengthen job opportunities for all.

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Prepare for emerging mobility trends. New technology will affect parking demand and transportation systems, yet no one knows exactly to what degree or when. A dynamic and flexible parking system will allow Downtown Memphis to respond in the most cost-effective manner.

The Plan offers new approaches to Downtown parking. Change is difficult but necessary. The future of Downtown Memphis should be a multimodal one that seeks to provide more transportation choice by making it as easy as possible

THREE BIG IDEAS All recommendations in this plan fit into three big ideas.

1. REIMAGINE THE DOWNTOWN PARKING AUTHORITY (DPA) AS THE DOWNTOWN MOBILITY AUTHORITY (DMA). –– Leverage newly developed partnerships with City, County, MATA, and others to develop strategies that reduce parking demand. –– Reinvest parking revenue into broader mobility reforms. –– Coordinate mobility services and programs for Downtown employees.

2. UTILIZE EXISTING PARKING FIRST. –– Maximize use of existing parking facilities before investing in new public parking structures. –– Support a walkable, mixed-use Downtown with pedestrian improvements and wayfinding signage. –– Implement operational improvements to create a performance-based parking management program: ◦◦ real-time availability technology ◦◦ facilitated shared parking agreements ◦◦ efficient parking enforcement ◦◦ enhanced event management

3. BUILD NEW PARKING SPARINGLY AND STRATEGICALLY. –– Support high-impact development. –– When DMC must build new parking, put it in the right place to unlock the long-term development potential of neighborhoods. –– Plan for longer-term mobility trends.

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS Overall, Downtown Memphis does not currently face a critical shortage of parking across the entire study area or within any single subarea. There are, however, local hotspots of demand in the Downtown Core generated by large employers and growing residential communities. Certain sections of the study area, especially the Downtown Core, the Pinch/St. Jude, and the Medical District, expect to grow to levels that will exhaust current parking supply following current usage trends and drive-alone modeshare. This potential shortage of spaces for residents and office workers close to the riverfront in the Downtown Core is mirrored by general availability in the Edge and South City subareas. The South Main subarea currently lacks larger off-street facilities that support public parking, but strategic additions, promoting MATA buses and trolleys, and the shared use of current facilities could help meet growing demand. Strategic pricing of on-street spaces and finetuned management, especially adjusting the times of day that meters are in effect, can help promote availability in key Downtown areas.

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

not to drive. Downtown Memphis’ ability to achieve that vision will be determined by many factors, but parking is central to the final outcome. There is no “silver bullet.” Implementation of one or two items alone will not solve Downtown Memphis’ parking management challenges, but certain actions should be prioritized to secure “easy wins” and tangible success that will allow stakeholders to build further support. Implementation will take ongoing planning and consensus building over the coming months and years. The public and private sectors must leverage each other to overcome systemic problems.

KEY FINDINGS: TO BUILD OR NOT TO BUILD The Downtown Memphis study area contains more than 71,000 total parking spaces. This number includes both public and private, on- and off-street parking in all eight subareas. There are many different entities controlling parking (City, DPA, private owners), each with different patrons and needs who influence the number of accessible parking spaces. Downtown features just over 5,500 parking spaces in publiclyowned off-street DPA garages, all of which are publicly accessible. There are 7,552 total on-street spaces, of which 6,886 are available to the public. The remaining more than 59,000 Downtown parking spaces are privately owned and managed. Although many of these are open to the public, the majority are reserved for a particular use, dedicated to employees and customers, or accessed by permit only. Each of the seven subareas is large enough to offer at least 2,600 parking spaces, with the Medical District offering over 24,000 (35% of all spaces). This is the largest subarea, but it is one with a large proportion of medical and educational institutions, which creates a dense concentration of jobs. The Downtown Core features the second-largest supply of spaces, buoyed by 30 garages with almost 13,000 total spaces (23 of the garages allow public access).

STUDY SUBAREAS The parking study area was divided into eight subareas for analysis. These districts generally align with Downtown neighborhoods, and each has similar land uses, patterns of parking demand, and development outlooks.

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

OFF-STREET SPACES Off-street spaces include both those available to the public and those reserved for particular users. Two out of every three spaces are not open to the public at any time of day. The DPA owns less than 10% of the total off-street supply. The largest parking facilities are located in the Downtown Core, the Medical District, and the Pinch. South Main has the fewest number of off-street spaces.

ON-STREET SPACES Most metered spaces are within the Civic Center, Downtown Core, and South Main areas. The Pinch, South End, and South City feature no metered spaces. Meters in the Medical District and the Edge are scattered across various blocks. The majority of on-street parking outside of the Downtown Core and South Main subareas is free of charge and unregulated by time limits. 6

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

Throughout the study area, the highest levels of parking use correspond with typical business hours, a frequent outcome in an employment-based district with fewer residential units. However, parking use patterns are concentrated unevenly, and all subareas still feature a considerable number of unoccupied spaces even during the midday peak. At almost any location and any time of the day, a highly-used parking facility is only a few blocks away from underutilized parking.

made to identify barriers and shortcomings within the current transportation system that limit the effectiveness of the current system to meet employee, visitor and resident mobility and parking needs. These barriers include both infrastructure and operational elements ranging from pedestrian barriers of I-40 and Danny Thomas Blvd, gaps in non-vehicular transportation infrastructure, limited parking signage and information, and parking facility maintenance.

As is common in employment-heavy Downtown neighborhoods, overall parking use is significantly lower on weekends than on weekdays. Major parking generators during the week, such as AutoZone, Raymond James, ServiceMaster, and the municipal, state, and federal courts are not active during this time, which greatly affects overall utilization in the Downtown Core and Civic Center subareas. In contrast to a significantly diminished office demand, tourist activity in the Downtown Core persists, bringing many vehicles Downtown.

Development and economic growth is likely to affect the current demand and supply balance as Downtown Memphis attracts new businesses, residents, and visitors. More than 4.3 million square feet of retail, service, and office space are proposed under the 20-year growth scenario, with an additional 12,700 housing units. This amount of growth Downtown has the potential to create additional parking challenges unless the City and its partners can implement a thoughtful and strategic approach to managing the existing and new parking supply.

While collecting parking inventory and utilization data and while present for stakeholder meetings, field observations were % of total 45% 40%

% of total

TOTAL ON-STREET PARKING SPACES, BY SUBAREA

45%

2,925 spaces in subarea

40%

35%

30%

25%

20%

20% 1,004

15%

916

10%

842

Medical District

The Edge

South End

21,910 spaces in subarea 16,235

15%

830 530

5% 0%

TOTAL OFF-STREET PARKING SPACES, BY SUBAREA

South Downtown South City Core Main

9,346

10% 364

Civic Center

141

The Pinch / St. Jude

5% 0%

Medical District

3,188

2,695

The Edge

South End

4,580

6,108

2,162

South Downtown City Core

South Main

Civic The Pinch / Center St. Jude

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

WEEKDAY PEAK DEMAND: 11 AM - 1 PM At peak occupancy, all Downtown spaces are only one-third full, meaning there are still approximately 45,000 unused spaces across the entire study area. Most of these unused spaces are in restricted off-street facilities. Off-street publicly accessible and DPA garages average 66% occupancy. The highest demand appears in off-street spaces in the Medical District and Civic Center, and in on-street spaces in Downtown Core. The Pinch/St. Jude and the Medical District hospitals have high demand, reaching an estimated 87% and 77% occupancy, respectively, at peak.

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

WEEKEND PEAK DEMAND: 3 PM - 7 PM In general, weekend utilization is lower than parking demand during weekdays, but there are some areas in which total parking demand is higher (South Main, South End). Overall on-street occupancy peaks at 22% during the evening, but sees higher rates in the Downtown Core (69%) and South Main subareas (82%) during this time. Off-street demand also increases significantly in these subareas in evening hours.

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

RECOMMENDATIONS: MANAGE FIRST, THEN BUILD STRATEGICALLY The recommendations on the next page emphasize a need for a performance-based management approach that better utilizes existing parking assets. Improved management of parking will enable Downtown Memphis to unlock development potential and continue to grow sustainably, while reducing overall demand for parking and minimizing traffic congestion. Implementing these recommendations will not be easy. Downtown Memphisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; diverse stakeholders will need to collaborate to implement recommendations as a package; each strategy coordinates with others to improve the overall parking system throughout the different subareas. About 66% of Downtown employees drive alone to work, lower than the citywide rate (81%) or the rate for Shelby County (83%). Survey responses indicate that almost 75% of Downtown employees receive free or subsidized parking, yet few Downtown employers offer comprehensive mobility programs or incentives to encourage travel by other modes or reduce overall parking demand.

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

Increasing choices does not mean that every employee has to or will stop driving. A behavior shift of a fraction of employees can have a significant impact on reducing parking demand, lessen the need to build new spaces, and mitigate rush hour congestion. For every person that uses another mode, there is one more parking space available for someone who does drive. Shared parking can help unlock investment in new mixed-use development projects. Adopting and pursuing a policy that identifies three specific objectives for any publicly funded development of off-street parking will ensure that new supply serves the public interest. 1. Parking Pays for Itself: Publicly funded parking should pay for itself through user fees alone. 2. Parking Enables More Growth: Publicly funded parking development directly facilitates an increasing ratio of private, land-use development value in the immediate area 3. Parking is Increasingly Accessible: Publicly funded parking development increases the balance of public/ private parking spaces within the overall Downtown parking supply.

PARKING IS EXPENSIVE TO BUILD, OPERATE, AND MAINTAIN In any location where new parking is warranted, it should:

»» Be shared and open to the public to the greatest degree possible. »» Be managed as part of the larger system, so that prices and regulations primarily incentivize use by long-term parkers. If off-street parking is more expensive than on-street parking, people will continue to circle and create congestion. »» Include technology and wayfinding that makes parking easy to locate and use. »» Contribute to the Downtown environment by supporting strong urban design and pedestrian access and safety and by promoting street activity via ground-floor uses. »» Consider design implications of reduced parking demand due to new technology and mobility solutions.

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

BIG IDEA

RECOMMENDATIONS

REIMAGINE THE DOWNTOWN PARKING 1 ESTABLISH A DOWNTOWN MOBILITY AUTHORITY AUTHORITY (DPA) AS THE DOWNTOWN MOBILITY AUTHORITY 2 EVALUATE A PARK-N-RIDE OR CIRCULATOR SHUTTLE TO IMPROVE TRANSIT CONNECTIONS AND ACCESS TO REMOTE PARKING (DMA) 3

CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN WALKABLE, MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT DOWNTOWN

4 IMPLEMENT A PERFORMANCE-BASED PARKING MANAGEMENT PROGRAM UTILIZE EXISTING PARKING FIRST

Lead(s)

Supporting Actor(s)

DPA

City of Memphis, Shelby County

DMA, MMDC

major employers, MATA

DMC, MMDC

DMA, MMDC, City

DMA, City of Memphis

private facility owners

ADD AN AFFORDABLE PARKING PROGRAM FOR LOWER WAGE DOWNTOWN EMPLOYEES

DMA

private facility operators

PILOT A SHARED PARKING PROGRAM AND FACILITATE SHARED OFF-STREET PARKING

DMA, MMDC

private facility owners, City of Memphis

City of Memphis Engineering Dept.

DMA, State of TN, valet operators

City of Memphis

employers and property managers, DMC

DMA, City of Memphis

TNC operators

DMA

developers, City of Memphis

DYNAMICALLY REGULATE CURB ACCESS TO MAINTAIN FLEXIBILITY AND MANAGE ON-STREET PARKING AND LOADING DEMAND REQUIRE PROVISION AND ENFORCEMENT OF TRANSPORTATION DEMAND 8 MANAGEMENT (TDM) FOR ALL NEW DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT ABOVE A CERTAIN SIZE 7

BUILD NEW PARKING SPARINGLY AND STRATEGICALLY

POTENTIAL PARTNERS

PLAN FOR LONG-TERM MOBILITY AND PARKING TRENDS

STRATEGICALLY INVEST IN PUBLIC AND SHARED PARKING SUPPLY IN KEY LOCATIONS

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

REC.

PRIORITY

TIME

COST

IMPACT

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY Downtown Core

$$$

• • • • •

Lower priority < 1 year timeline Lower cost Lower impact Low difficulty

• • • • •

Medium priority 1-2 year timeline Medium cost Medium impact Medium difficulty

• • • • •

IMPACTED SUBAREAS South Main

The Pinch/ St. Jude

Civic Center

South End

South City

The Edge

Medical District

Top priority 2+ year timeline High cost High impact High difficulty

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

2 OVERVIEW The Downtown Memphis Parking Studyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s purpose, process, timeline, and organization.

DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY STUDY PURPOSE Memphis’ Downtown district prides itself as the heart and soul of the city with a rich history, established residential communities, lively events, and an authentic style that attracts local residents, employers and regular visitors. Recent success and the challenges it has bred prompts a closer look at Downtown’s transportation and parking needs. The Downtown Memphis Parking Study is a collaborative effort between the Downtown Memphis Commission (DMC) and the Memphis Medical District Collaborative (MMDC) to develop an efficient Downtown parking system and to guide public investments in parking that are forward-thinking, strategic, necessary, and high-impact. The study will result in a Parking Management Plan to specifically address:

integrated with Memphis’ overall transportation network and variety of destinations.

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Existing areas of low and high parking demand throughout Downtown, including the Medical District

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Future parking needs as Downtown continues to develop

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Parking management and governance structure

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Fiscally responsible parking management

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Parking technology throughout the district

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Future parking needs as Downtown and the Medical District continue to develop

At the heart of a safe and welcoming Downtown should be a well-managed parking system where parking spaces are easy to find, priced according to need, and complemented by programs and features that foster easy walking, shopping, dining and working. Parking is also about what people do after they park, as every driver who parks a car then becomes a pedestrian on the way to their final destination. Critical to this is the degree to which the Downtown parking supply is

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

STUDY AREA The study area selected for the parking study covers a majority of spaces in Downtown Memphis, including the Medical District (See Figure 1 1). The study area’s boundaries were reviewed with DMC staff and the Parking Study Working Group to confirm that major centers of activity were included. The study area is generally bounded by: »»

AW Willis Avenue to the north

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Cleveland Street to the east

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Crump Boulevard to the south

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Mississippi River/Wolf River Harbor to the west

SUBAREAS The study team delineated eight subareas based loosely on neighborhood boundaries. The study area focuses on key areas of activity within the Downtown Core, South Main, the Civic Center, and the Medical District, but also includes surrounding neighborhoods and streets to capture potential spillovers: »»

South of GE Patterson Avenue into the more residential South End

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East of S. BB King Boulevard into the industrial South City

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North of I-40 into The Pinch near St. Jude

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Between Danny Thomas Boulevard and Orleans Street in The Edge

STUDY SUBAREAS The parking study area was divided into eight subareas for analysis purposes. These districts generally align with Downtown neighborhoods, and each has similar land uses, patterns of parking demand, and development outlooks.

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

STUDY GOALS Early in the study development process, the DMC and Parking Study Working Group identified several goals that will guide this study. These are:

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Future Impacts: Assess the impact of future development on parking by forecasting future demand based on expected land uses in diffferent subareas.

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Pricing: Determine the need and feasibility for demandbased pricing or for changes to current parking rates for garages, surface lots, and on-street parking.

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Supply Expansion: If excess supply does not exist, cite suitable locations, the feasibility of construction, and any land acquisition required to add new facilities to the parking system.

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Design: Recommend design improvements to increase the operational efficiency of parking facilities, including improvements to parking-related signs and other wayfinding as well as new parking payment and enforcement technology.

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Zoning: Evaluate current parking standards and requirements in the city’s zoning code, including an assessment of parking impacts resulting from current development activity.

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Supply and Demand: Quantitatively assess the supply and demand of Downtown public and private parking, identifying peak and low-demand periods of the day. Determine the need for additional parking or whether there is excess parking capacity. Ownership and Public Access: Identify public and privately owned parking in Downtown Memphis, its management, prices, and availability of day or night parking.

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Safety & Convenience: Explore ways to provide safe and convenient daytime parking for office and commercial uses on weekdays as well as evening and weekend parking for residents and cultural and entertainment venues.

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Operations: Develop strategies for improved resident, visitor and employee parking options. Evaluate current management/staffing with best practices and pricing strategies for parking options.

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

STUDY APPROACH APPROACH OVERVIEW

STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS

The recommendations presented in this report are the result of a data-driven effort guided by clear goals and stated desires for the future of Downtown. The studyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s comprehensive methodology included documenting an extensive inventory of parking spaces covering a 3 .75-square-mile study area and a comparison of existing parking demand, based on field surveys of parking space occupancy on a typical weekday and Saturday, with future scenarios of expected development Downtown.

The study team engaged in a series of stakeholder and focus group discussions in late 2018 and early 2019, describing the study goals and helping to facilitate discussions of key parking challenges and opportunities in specific Downtown neighborhoods or for specific Downtown user groups. Conversations involved a broad set of public agency staff, private organization representatives, and private individuals to voice their opinions and vet study findings and ideas. Interviews helped illuminate many of the recurring themes in the subarea profiles, especially that public perception of Downtown parking tends to focus on insufficient supply, particularly for office workers.

PUBLIC PROCESS Downtown Memphisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; parking challenges go beyond what numbers can depict; they are also driven by perception and individual experience. The study team conducted a variety of outreach efforts in order to get a sense of the community perspective of parking in Downtown Memphis.

PUBLIC WORKSHOPS The study team also hosted public workshops to gather additional input in August 2018, January 2019, and June 2019. The first public open house was hosted at High Cotton

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

Brewing Company to provide a snapshot of the studyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s progress and to develop a concise set of study goals. The second public workshop held at the DMC offices featured the findings HAVE AN OPINION of inventory and ABOUT PARKING IN utilization analysis DOWNTOWN MEMPHIS? WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU. and identified parking needs and challenges Join us during our Open House event and give us your input as we think about future parking strategies in Downtown. across the study Date: Wednesday, August 22, 2018 Time: Open House from 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM area. The third public Location: High Cotton Brewing Company (598 Monroe Avenue) workshop was an introduction to a set Hosted by: of strategies aimed at managing existing and future parking demand. All three events allowed participants from the community to engage directly with the study team and staff from the DMC.

ONLINE SURVEY An online survey was distributed to the public via links on the DMC website, social media, and targeted emails to collect information about existing travel and parking behaviors, perceptions, and needs from Memphis residents, employees, business owners, and visitors. The survey allowed the study team to categorize the transportation benefits available to Downtown employees and understand the tradeoffs between access, availability, and location for Downtown parkers.

INVENTORY AND UTILIZATION The study team gathered information on the supply, regulations, and use of Downtown Memphisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; approximately 71,000 parking spaces, which included both on-street and offstreet spaces of both public and private access. The inventory was conducted in collaboration with Downtown Memphis Commission, the City of Memphis, Downtown stakeholders, and private property owners. Data sources include a combination of existing GIS databases, previous parking studies, data from public and private sector parking facility managers, and field data collection.

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

In addition to the inventory, which details how many spaces exist and how they may be used, the study team performed a parking utilization survey in each of the eight subareas on a typical Thursday and a Saturday, counting parked vehicles at regular intervals throughout the day. All on-street parking spaces in every subarea location was surveyed for parking utilization on survey dates. However, with over 350 off-street parking lots and garages throughout the study area, the team conducted an off-street utilization count that captured a sample of garages and lots associated with specific land uses and applied these rates across the uncounted similar facilities within each subarea. The study team documented both this inventory and utilization information into a common database and geographic information systems (GIS) dataset, which allowed them to observe temporal and spatial trends and patterns by particular facility types, ownership, associated land uses, and user access within and across study subareas.

ESTIMATING CURRENT AND FUTURE DEMAND

demand and observed demand form the basis of how certain study recommendations were developed. In addition to estimating current demand, the study team used information on forthcoming, expected and potential development, based on guidance from the Downtown Memphis Commission, to estimate future parking demand from new development in three scenarios. In the first two scenarios, where known or expected development was considered along with market analysis reports for Downtown Memphis, this subarea-specific estimate also added new parking to the inventory in each subarea. The third scenario was based on a 20-year growth “boom” mimicking growth patterns of peer cities. Estimating current theoretical demand and future expected demand enables identification of the gap between supply and use as well as how much parking would typically be desired or needed to serve an area that is undergoing real estate change.

RECOMMENDATIONS AND IMPLEMENTATION

The inventory and utilization surveys provide a complete understanding of Downtown Memphis’ parking supply and pattern of use. To guide future investments and programs, it is important to understand parking demand both in the context of Downtown’s current activity and uses and future development scenarios.

Analyzing the inventory, utilization, and demand estimates in the context of stakeholder engagement efforts, the study team developed a series of strategic recommendations to address parking needs and challenges in Downtown Memphis. Many of these strategies are tailored to specific needs of the eight subareas. The study also includes general recommendations that should be applied to the entirety of Downtown.

The study team obtained information on current tax-assessed land uses from Shelby County for all parcels in the study area. This information allowed the study team to estimate parking demand based on industry knowledge on parking activity, specifically the typical rates of parking generation documented in the Institute for Transportation Engineers’ Parking Generation manual and Urban Land Institute’s Shared Parking manual. The dynamics and differences between modeled

Strategies emphasize a cost-effective, manage-first approach to bridging the gaps between concentrations of parking need and the general availability of parking spaces in other locations. Parking is just one piece of the transportation system. Parking strategies stress connections to Memphis’ investment in transit, biking, and walking and the investment decision process and mapping tool help funnel time, effort, and financial investment to where it is needed most.

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

RECOMMENDATIONS AND IMPLEMENTATION

BEST PRACTICE EXAMPLES

STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT AND REFINEMENT

• Focus on broader mobility goals, not just on parking • Utilize existing parking spaces first • When building new parking, do so sparingly and strategically

PARKING INVESTMENT DECISION PROCESS

PARKING INVESTMENT MAPPING TOOL

• Identify case study cities and agencies who are already implementing parking and mobility solutions successfully • Identify helpful technology tools to adopt in Memphis

• How can the DMA prioritize available parking funding? • What decisions need to be made for the DMA to support continued economic vitality?

• Based on future demand, where does investment in parking supply need to be prioritized? • What areas would yield the best investment return?

OVERALL ACTION PLAN

• Implementation Action Plan for the short, medium, and long-term • Identification of partner actions

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

3 KEY FINDINGS This section presents the trends, issues, and opportunities revealed by existing parking conditions and management practices in Downtown Memphis. These key findings inform the recommendations and strategies offered in later sections.

KEY FINDINGS PARKING IN DOWNTOWN MEMPHIS The Downtown Memphis study area contains more than 71,000 total parking spaces. This number includes both public and private, on-, and off-street parking in all eight subareas. It does not, however, include parking spaces associated with singlefamily driveways, off-street parking lots of generally fewer than 15 spaces, or storage of commercial or industrial vehicles, such as USPS vans or auto body parking.

OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT There are many different entities controlling parking, each with different patrons and needs that influence the number of accessible parking spaces. The City of Memphis’ Downtown parking management and operations currently fall under the responsibility of Downtown Parking Authority (DPA), a joint commission with members from both the City of Memphis and Shelby County. The DPA establishes parking policies, coordinates management, contracts with operators, assists in strategic planning, issues bonds for construction or acquisition, and tracks rates and occupancies of parking facilities. Over 90% of all off-street spaces are managed by private owners and operators; however, the DPA owns eight public facilities featuring more than 5,500 parking spaces. The City Engineer is also directed in the Memphis Code of Ordinances to establish and continually update the amounts paid for on-street parking on a block-by-block basis to “balance supply and demand with the goal of having 85% on-street parking occupancy on each block so that drivers may

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

easily find short-term places near their destinations.”1 The City Engineer also determines loading zones, no parking zones, tow-away zones, and angled parking locations. Long-term valet parking operations in Memphis require an annual permit issued by the Division of Engineering for each location at which valet will occur. Detailed public parking information is available online at the DMC website, which includes an interactive map of publicly accessible parking facilities and information on pricing and number of spaces; the MMDC website, however, does not clearly link to the DMC site or include similar information. Public parking garage information on the street – even those owned by the DPA - is not consistent in color scheme, creating confusion and reducing awareness of parking options. City regulations do not require private lots to provide standardized information about payment rates or hours of operation, which has resulted in a variety of private signage at surface lots and garages.

1 Chapter 11-44 Parking Meters

ENFORCEMENT AND REVENUE The City Engineering Department employs a Parking Meter Operations Supervisor, a Parking Meter Repair Technician, a Parking Meter Collector, and four Parking Enforcement Technicians (who supplement the efforts of one Memphis Police Department parking enforcement officer) who work 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Monday through Friday.

Average Annual Revenue Per Metered Parking Space, By Collection Area

As of June 1, 2017, the hourly rates and the times and days of parking meter enforcement changed to allow for better management of availability in high-demand areas. Rates across all meters were adjusted upwards to $1.50 per hour. Parking revenue from meters and off-street facilities goes into the General Fund. In 2017, across the seven parking meter coverage areas, the City of Memphis collected over $1.1 million dollars, with the most revenue from the large Entertainment District (41%) and the CBD (28%) areas because they have the most meters. Across all meter collection areas, the twenty Medical District spaces next to the County Health Department (classified further as the Health Dept. area) on Manassas between Jefferson and Adams and on Jefferson between Manassas and Dunlap generated the most revenue per space, each collecting an annual average of $1,257. The average yearly revenue per metered parking space within the study area is approximately $725. The Entertainment District, whose meters stay active for four additional hours daily, generated $457,291 in 2017, and the CBD generated $312,350 from meter revenue. Within the Entertainment District, the blocks of Main Street between GE Patterson and Nettleton Avenue brings in the most revenue. The highest revenue-generating block in the CBD area is on Adams Avenue between Main and Second Streets. The map on the following page depicts the meter collection areas in Downtown Memphis.

PARKING AND ZONING Zoning regulations often require the provision of off-street parking, which impacts the viability, cost, and form of proposed developments in a community . Memphisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; current zoning requirements for its Downtown neighborhoods within the study area are much lower compared to national peer cities. There is a growing movement to eliminate parking minimums in downtowns to spur economic development and the redevelopment of surface parking lots. Within Memphisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Central Business District (CBD) zoning district, the South Central Business Improvement Special Purpose District (SCBID), and the University District Overlay, there are no parking requirements from the Memphis and Shelby County Unified Development Code. CBD zoning covers much of the Downtown Core, Civic Center, and the Edge subareas. SCBID zoning covers much of the South Main, South End, and South City subareas.

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

PARKING METER COLLECTION AREAS In all metered areas, there is a time limit of two hours at meters on weekdays and a limit of four hours on Saturdays. However, in the Entertainment and South Main districts, after 4 PM on all meter days, there is a six-hour time limit. As of June 1, 2017, parking meter rates and the times and days of enforcement changed to allow for better enforcement in high-demand areas. Rates were adjusted upwards to $1.50 per hour in all collection areas.

Meter Collection Area Central Business District

474

Entertainment District

398

Medical District

246

North of Poplar

216

South Main

120

Juvenile Court

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

# of Spaces

PARKING OWNERSHIP & ACCESS PUBLICLY OWNED PARKING Downtown features just over 5,500 parking spaces in publicly owned off-street DPA garages, all of which are publicly accessible. There are 7,552 total on-street spaces, of which 6,886 are available to the public. The remainder of the onstreet spaces represent more specialized uses of curbside, including loading, bus stops, emergency vehicles, electric vehicle parking, and other outright restrictions on parking.

PRIVATELY OWNED PARKING The remaining more than 59,000 Downtown parking spaces are privately owned and managed. Although many of these are open to the public, the majority are reserved for a particular

Off-Street Parking: DPA Riverfront Garage

use, dedicated to employees and customers, or accessed by permit only. Close to 7,750 privately owned spaces are publicly accessible at one time â&#x20AC;&#x201C; most of these in hourly, daily, or monthly paid lots and garages â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but approximately 29,000 spaces are dedicated to businesses, offices, or other organizations, whether for employees only or a combination of employees and customers. Few spaces, just 5% of the total supply, are reserved for Downtown residents. The balance of these spaces is reserved for patients, students, or visitors to institutions such as churches, hospitals, and schools. Maps on the following pages show the locations of these spaces throughout the larger study area.

On-Street Parking: Madison Ave Downtown Memphis Parking Study

ON-STREET SPACES Most metered spaces are within the Civic Center, Downtown Core, and South Main subareas, with the South End, South City, and the Pinch/St. Jude subareas featuring no metered spaces at all. Metered spaces in the Medical District and the Edge are scattered across various blocks. The majority of on-street parking outside of the Downtown Core and South Main subareas is free of charge and unregulated by time limits.

On-Street Parking Regulated

29%

1,465

67%

1 Hour Parking

15/30 Min. Parking

666

30%

306

46%

5,357

71%

7,552

100%

Restricted - During Weekdays Unregulated Total Downtown Memphis Parking Study

% of Spaces

2,195

2 Hour Meter

# of Spaces

OFF-STREET SPACES The much larger supply of off-street spaces includes both those available to the public and those reserved for particular users. Two out of three spaces are not open to the public at any time of day. The DPA owns less than 10% of the total off-street supply.

# of Spaces

DPA Garage

The largest parking facilities are located in the Downtown Core, the Medical District, and the Pinch. South Main has the fewest number of off-street spaces.

# of Facilities

Off-Street Parking Restricted-Access Public-Access (including DPA) Total

# of Spaces

Shopper's Garage

340

100 N. Main

335

Riverfront Garage

638

One Commerce Square

510

250 Peabody Place

1031

Peabody Place Tower

700

First Place Parking

450

% of Spaces

284

41,609

64%

117

23,203

36%

401

64,812

100%

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

ON-STREET AND OFF-STREET SPACES 7,552 spaces, or 11% of spaces in the study area, are located on-street, with the balance located either in off-street lots or garages. Of the on-street spaces, 1,465 of these are metered and subject to time limits, and another 64 spaces are subject to time limits only. 5,357 on-street spaces are unregulated, meaning there is no restriction on length of stay or price to park, and in many locations there is no pavement marking or other indication of the proper placement of parked vehicles in a space. The Memphis Police Department may enforce unregulated spaces for public safety violations (such as blocked driveways, fire hydrants, or bus stops), but their attention is focused on meter collection areas. The study area also includes 63,812 off-street spaces, with more than half of these in lots and the remaining 43% in garages. As discussed previously, around 15,500 of these spaces (approximately 36% of the off-street total) are publicly accessible, with the remainder featuring privatized or limited access.

Civic Center, Downtown Core, and Medical Center subareas with high numbers of employees and daily visitors supply more spaces in parking garages.

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

Meters control only 20% of Downtownâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on-street spaces.

Curbside space equal to around 700 parking spaces is for resticted users like bus stops and loading areas.

Parking lots are more prevalent in subareas where land costs are cheaper, such as South End, South City, and the Edge.

PARKING SUPPLY BY SUBAREA INVENTORY Each of the seven subareas is large enough to offer at least 2,600 parking spaces, with the Medical District offering over 24,000 (35% of all spaces). This is the largest subarea, but one with a large proportion of medical and educational institutions, hosting a dense concentration of jobs. The Downtown Core features the second-largest supply of spaces, buoyed by 30 garages with almost 13,000 total spaces (23 of the garages allow public access). The balance of parking spaces in surface lots versus garages differs substantially from one subarea to the next. Employment-heavy subareas closer to the riverfront have a higher portion of parking in garages. Not all spaces off-street are open to the public, however. The South Main, The Pinch, % of total 45% 40%

South End, South City, The Edge and Medical District subareas each have more restricted spaces than publicly accessible spaces. In the Downtown Core, Civic Center, The Pinch, and South City subareas, on-street parking represents only around 5% of the total parking supply. By comparison, in the South Main subarea, on-street parking represents 16% of all spaces, and in the Edge, 32%. Off-street parking in Downtown Memphis supports larger developments, particularly any new private construction outside of the Downtown Core and The Pinch. Reliance on off-street parking provision to enable development is common across America, and the balance of on-street parking to offstreet parking is typically around 10%. % of total

TOTAL ON-STREET PARKING SPACES, BY SUBAREA

45%

2,925 spaces in subarea

40%

35%

30%

25%

20%

20% 1,004

15%

916

10%

842

Medical District

The Edge

South End

21,910 spaces in subarea 16,235

15%

830 530

5% 0%

TOTAL OFF-STREET PARKING SPACES, BY SUBAREA

South Downtown South City Core Main

9,346

10% 364

Civic Center

141

The Pinch / St. Jude

5% 0%

Medical District

3,188

2,695

The Edge

South End

4,580

6,108

2,162

South Downtown City Core

South Main

Civic The Pinch / Center St. Jude

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

WEEKDAY UTILIZATION PATTERNS Throughout the study area, the highest levels of parking use correspond with typical business hours, a frequent outcome in an employment-based district with fewer residential units. However, parking use patterns are concentrated unevenly, and all subareas still feature a considerable number of unoccupied spaces even during the midday peak. At almost any location and any time of the day, a highly used parking facility is only a few blocks away from underutilized parking. Because the majority of Downtown workers receive free or discount parking at their place of work, the most consistent patterns and concentrations of heavy parking use are in the Downtown Core, Medical District, and Civic Center near large office or hospital buildings. Still, different land uses within a subarea have varied rates of parking demand during the day. To the bottom right, the graph depicts parking occupancy rates during the peak period broken down by land use within a subarea. The map illustrates the busiest time of day for the full study area, the period from 11 AM to 1 PM. On-street occupancy is shown per block face. Annotations note the off-street utilization rates for publicly and privately accessible spaces in each subarea at the overall peak period. The bar graph below left provides a breakdown of on-street parking demand during the day across subareas.

ON-STREET PARKING

OFF-STREET PARKING

Peak Period: 7 AM - 11 AM

Peak Period: 11 AM - 3 PM

Currently, overall demand peaks in the morning, but patterns of usage vary between subareas. In South Main, it grows throughout the day to peak for nighttime activity, but in Civic Center it falls. 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%

Use decreases significantly after 3 PM, due to the large number of spaces in the Medical District.

100% 90%

Industrial

Institution

Mixed

Office

Residential

Retail

Tourism/Hotel

80%

AM MD PM

70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10%

Civic Downtown Medical Center Core District

South City

South End

South Main

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

The Edge Uptown

Civic Center

Downtown Core

South Main

South End

South City

The Edge

Uptown Medical District

WEEKDAY PEAK DEMAND: 11 AM - 1 PM At peak occupancy, all Downtown spaces are only one-third full, meaning there are still approximately 45,000 unused spaces. Most of these unused spaces are in restricted off-street facilities. Off-street publicly accessible and DPA garages average 66% occupancy. The highest demand appears in off-street spaces in the Medical District and The Pinch subareas, and in onstreet spaces in Downtown Core. The Pinch (St. Jude) and the Medical District hospitals have high demand, reaching an estimated 87% and 77% occupancy, respectively, at peak. Parking can be defined as being at optimal capacity when there is at least one empty space per block face or along a typical row of parking. This ensures customer access to businesses but also indicates a busy commercial environment. This typically equates to a target of 15% vacancy per block face and 5%10% vacancy in an off-street lot or garage. If any block or facility has less availability than the target, it is effectively at its functional capacity.

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

WEEKEND UTILIZATION PATTERNS As is common in employment-heavy Downtown neighborhoods, overall parking use is significantly lower on weekends than on weekdays. Major generators of parking demand during the week, such as AutoZone, Raymond James, County courts, and ServiceMaster, are not active during this time, which greatly affects overall utilization in the Downtown Core and Civic Center subareas. In contrast to a significantly diminished office demand, tourist activity in the Downtown Core persists, however, bringing many vehicles Downtown. The map to the right illustrates the busiest time of Saturday utilization, the period from 3 PM to 7 PM. Annotations note the offstreet utilization rates for publicly and privately accessible spaces in each subarea at the overall peak period. Below to the right, the graph depicts parking occupancy rates during the peak period broken down by land use within a subarea. The bar graph below left provides a breakdown of on-street parking demand during the day across subareas.

ON-STREET PARKING

OFF-STREET PARKING

Peak Period: 3 PM - 7 PM

Peak Periods: 3 PM - 7 PM

Parking demand increases during the day and concentrates largely in dining, entertainment, and tourist attraction areas in the evening. 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%

AM MD PM

Civic Downtown Medical Center Core District

South City

South End

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

South Main

The Edge Uptown

Off-street parking use is much lower on Saturdays due to a large number of employers not being active. Use is more concentrated in the Downtown Core, South Main, and South End. 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%

Industrial Institution Mixed Office Residential Retail Tourism/Hotel

Civic Center

Downtown Core

South Main

South End

South City

The Edge

Uptown

Medical District

WEEKEND PEAK DEMAND: 3 PM - 7 PM In general, weekend utilization is lower than parking demand during weekdays, but there are some areas in which total parking demand is higher (South Main, South End). Overall on-street occupancy peaks at 22% during the evening, but reaches higher rates in the Downtown Core (69%) and South Main subareas (82%) during this time. Off-street demand also increases significantly in these subareas in evening hours.

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

INFRASTRUCTURE & OPERATIONAL GAPS While collecting parking inventory and utilization data and while present for stakeholder meetings, field observations were made to identify barriers and shortcomings within the current parking system that limit the effectiveness of the current supply to meet employee, visitor and resident parking needs. These barriers include both infrastructure and operational quality and were identified for further consideration and incorporation into action strategies identified in Chapters 6 and 7. »»

Pedestrian barriers such as I-40, Dr. MLK Jr Avenue, S. BB King Boulevard, and Danny Thomas Boulevard, may deter visitors from parking once or deter residents of The Edge from walking to locations in the Downtown Core and South Main. These barriers limit the safety/appeal of walking between/to local destinations and parking facilities.

»»

Development financiers that over-emphasize the provision of private reserved parking, rather than more efficient, Downtown-appropriate solutions.

»»

Gaps in alternative transportation infrastructure, including transit routing, a lack of bicycle facilities and amenities, and sidewalk and curb ramp deterioration impacting ADA accessibility. These conditions deter visitors from using other means of transport or from parking once if they do drive, increasing competition for parking spaces.

»»

Employee parking strategies that utilize prime parking spaces with daylong occupancy within the Downtown area and consequently limit the availability of convenient visitor/ customer parking.

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

»»

Limited parking signage and information for all parking users – visitors and employees – which leads to available parking spaces going unused.

»»

Lack of maintenance of publicly owned parking facilities contributes to their underutilization. The perception of safety, understanding of regulations (e.g., user permit requirements, fees, hours), and attractiveness are all affected negatively when maintenance is deferred.

»»

The daily operation of all types of publicly owned parking facilities, including signage and parking meters, is related to the maintenance program and can contribute to user frustration, and ultimately, to loss of revenue. Direct sources of user frustration include: –– Conflicting on-street parking meter information –– Out of order on-street parking meters –– Non-regular parking facility operations (i.e., fee collection, facility access) –– Conflicting/confusing on-street signage –– Limited coordination/information between the private and publicly-owned parking facilities during special events

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

MULTIMODAL ACCESS MATA BUSES AND TROLLEYS The Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) is the secondlargest transit agency in Tennessee, covering over 300 square miles with 40 fixed bus routes serving 6.5 million passengers per year. Of these routes, 23 directly serve the Downtown Memphis study area, with nearly all stopping at either Central Station in South Main or the William Hudson Transit Center in The Pinch â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the areaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s two primary multimodal mobility hubs. Across the MATA system, most routes feature 30- to 60-minute frequencies and operate on weekdays between 7 AM and 10 PM. Currently the Main Street Line is the only trolley service in operation, with 13 stops and running every 20 minutes seven days a week. Main Street north of Peabody Place becomes a pedestrian mall allowing the trolley full right-of-way. On the Main Street Mall, the line passes through the heart of Downtown Memphis, serving Court Square, the Civic Center Plaza, and the Cook Convention Center. The Riverfront Line also serves the two main MATA bus hubs, running every 30 minutes with trolleybuses. The Madison Avenue Line runs every 30 minutes from Main Street through the Medical District into Midtown.

BICYCLE INFRASTRUCTURE The city has amassed a rather robust inventory of trails, bike lanes, routes, shared-access roads, and bike parking infrastructure. Most public bike racks are concentrated in the business core of Downtown and alongside the riverfront.

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

In May of 2018, Memphis started its first bikeshare program. Explore Bike Share deployed 600 bikes at 60 stations across the neighborhoods of Downtown, Midtown, and South Memphis.

CARSHARE Zipcar, first introduced to the city in 2010, hosts many parking locations within the area, and both Uber and Lyft are popular among commuters and visitors. Uber and Lyft services provide convenient connections between Downtown and the Memphis International Airport in the absence of comparably convenient services such as rapid transit. Zipcars are most commonly featured on university campuses within the city. The Medical District is notably underserved, being the only subarea without a Zipcar pickup location.

ELECTRIC SCOOTERS In June 2018, Bird deployed a fleet of 200 electric scooters in the neighborhoods of Downtown, Midtown, The Pinch, South Memphis, and Cooper-Young under a contract with the City of Memphis. In October, Lime also deployed scooters, but due to operating without permits they were removed within the same month. In December 2018, Lime negotiated a permit agreement with the City and was permitted to introduce 250 electric scooters to the streets of Memphis. Lime and Bird each pay the City a $365 fee per scooter per year. In June 2019, the City launched an initiative to increase the number of scooters available. In July and August 2019, Bolt and Spin scooters were introduced to Memphis streets to create a total of nearly 2,300 scooters in the City.

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

DOWNTOWN GROWTH AND PARKING DEMAND

Summary of the shared parking model approach, methods, and findings for each projected Downtown development scenario

PROJECTED DEVELOPMENT AND PARKING CONDITIONS Development and economic growth are likely to affect the current demand and supply balance as Memphis attracts new businesses, residents, and visitors. More than 4.3 million square feet of retail, service, and office space is proposed under the 20-year growth scenario, with an additional 12,700 housing units. This amount of growth Downtown has the potential to create additional parking challenges unless the City and its partners can implement a thoughtful and strategic approach to managing the existing and new parking supply. To understand future growth, and its impacts on parking in Downtown Memphis, this study used a land-use and shared parking model to conduct a detailed parking demand analysis in each subarea and for three growth scenarios. The analysis is based on the concept that parking demand for different land uses changes over time throughout the day. The analysis provides insights into why existing parking demand patterns occur, how future demand will be created, and how parking behaviors may need to change to support projected development scenarios and City goals. This chapter provides a summary of the model approach, methods, and findings. In brief, we found that:

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

»»

If the City, the DMC, or developers were to build strictly reserved off-street parking for every proposed development, Downtown Memphis, and particularly the Downtown Core and Medical District subareas, would rapidly utilize available parcels of land.

»»

Shared parking approaches are the best way to costeffectively unlock Downtown’s growth potential. Relying on smaller parcels or taller garage facilities to accommodate all of Downtown’s future parking is not feasible economically or cost-competitive with other business districts in the region.

»»

The Downtown Core, South Main, The Edge, and South City subareas are focus areas for growth identified in the Memphis 3.0 process and the Downtown Memphis Master Plan and have the best candidates for additional parking supply.

»»

Given the amount of new growth projected in the Downtown Core close to the riverfront, some amount of new parking is likely needed in concentrated locations to accommodate office and residential tenants.

»»

While in reality not all existing parking or new parking spaces will be shared, understanding shared parking demand reveals how much more efficient shared management approaches can be in certain land uses and locations.

METHODOLOGY The parking demand model is based on national standards and methodologies developed by the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) and the Urban Land Institute (ULI), but is calibrated with local data to better account for Downtown Memphis’ unique urban context and parking patterns. ITE Parking Generation is the current national standard in determining parking demand for a development as it undergoes a review process. Traditional approaches with ITE rates to both zoning and private development assume a separate set of parking spaces for separate land uses. This pattern results in multiple parking spaces per car in an area, which is not an efficient use of land in a compact, mixed-use downtown like Memphis. Nor is it how the parking system operates in practice. Parking spaces should be shared and support multiple land uses, particularly those with complementary periods of peak demand (as do the DPA public garages). As a result, ITE parking rates and methodologies often do not reflect the actual parking behavior or demand, especially in mixed-use downtown areas. The team modeled the eight subareas individually; subarea analyses like these are useful for understanding localized trends across Memphis’ large Downtown geography. Cities like Memphis, particularly in the Downtown Core and South Main subareas, have a strong mix of land uses and offer a walkable street grid that can encourage people to park once and not drive to each destination. This captive market effect is adjusted for each subarea parking model. Besides capturing the “staggered peaks” of parking demand from various uses by time of day, the model calibrates demand specific to Memphis subareas by adjusting for local inventory and occupancy, transit service, and transportation management policies. Ultimately, the tool allows the study team to understand how and when the parking inventory in a

given location is occupied, which is useful for developing the more targeted parking and development strategies presented in the next chapter. The study team, in conjunction with the Downtown Master Plan effort, identified two viable future scenarios (based on market analysis studies performed by others) and one boom 20-year growth scenario. Development scenarios add new retail, service, office, and residential space to existing land uses within the parking forecast model to determine increased demand and insufficient or excess capacity within each study subarea. Scenarios 1 and 2 are based largely on development projects either currently under construction or in the approval process. Market growth projections based on national and regional factors, such as the available vacant commercial property stock, were used to create the second scenario. For each scenario analysis, future parking supply additions, such as those typically accompanying residential developments, are calculated in accordance with ITE industry standards of parking generation. This is a conservative assumption given that much of the Downtown study area zoning does not require off-street parking minimums. Additionally, while some developments may build replacement parking, some—especially those created out of absorbed vacancy—may share parking that already exists today. Specific supply additions, therefore, are unpredictable. However, the model adjusts subarea-wide parking supply totals where proposed redevelopment within each scenario may replace existing surface parking. Each development scenario is described and added to the baseline land use conditions within the parking forecast model to determine increased demand and excess capacity. For each scenario analysis, no future parking supply additions, such as those typically accompanying residential developments, are added to the system capacity. This is a conservative

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

FUTURE PARKING SCENARIOS assumption that attempts to solely measure the impact on a static supply. Additionally, some developments may build replacement parking while some may be able to share parking that exists today. Specific supply additions are unpredictable. However, should any proposed redevelopment within a scenario result in the loss of public or private parking supply, the supply total within the model is appropriately adjusted downward.

IMMEDIATE GROWTH The first scenario represents a continuation of existing policy conditions and an assumption that user behavior remains unchanged in each subarea. Development projects either recently under construction or announced are added to baseline land use totals. Housing unit, commercial square footage, and office square footage estimates are calculated based on Shelby County assessor data and ‘completed’ and ‘under construction’ development data collected by DMC.

French Forth than the Downtown Parking Study area. The Medical District market study area extends north to North Parkway, east to Cleveland, south to Peabody Avenue/Vance Avenue, and west to Danny Thomas Boulevard, roughly matching the Medical District subarea of the Parking Study.

BOOM GROWTH Scenario 3 represents a more ambitious growth in development conditions in Downtown Memphis, including 20% growth (consistent with other recent “boom” cities such as Austin and Nashville) in the retail, service, and office sectors plus sustained student enrollment growth at institutions in the Medical District over Scenario 2 land use totals. It is assumed that this level of growth could occur over a 20-year period but possibly within a sooner timeframe.

LAND USE CATEGORY

IMMEDIATE GROWTH

MEDIUM-TERM GROWTH

RESIDENTIAL (UNITS)

7,396

16,746

20,095

Scenario 2 adds to Scenario 1 by including projects that are likely to be approved in the next five years based on DMC input and office, retail, and residential market analysis studies of the Downtown Memphis area, including the ongoing Downtown Memphis Master Plan. The land use totals also assume absorption of current retail and office vacancy.

RETAIL

1,807,706

2,081,477

2,497,772

SERVICE*

1,738,758

1,746,530

2,095,836

OFFICE**

6,357,545

8,081,177

9,697,412

14,485

19,485

23,382

Residential, retail, and office market projections are derived from market analysis reports for the City of Memphis and Shelby County authored by Zimmerman/Volk Associates, Inc. The Downtown study area for these market analyses encompasses the Central Business Improvement District, extending further north into The Pinch and further south into

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

* Includes restaurants, dry cleaners, banks, auto repair service, etc. ** Includes medical and dental office space, but not medical clinics or hospitals

BOOM GROWTH

DEVELOPMENT SITES Based on comprehensive data of ‘planned’, ‘completed’ and ‘under construction’ developments (provided by DMC), growth in Downtown residential units is likely to impact South Main, Main St, and the Edge. Anchor nodes in Downtown Memphis are anchored by a mix of retail, restaurant, cultural destinations, and major employers. The Pinch subarea will likely attract both new residential and retail development because of the historic significance of the Pinch District as well as the growing investment of St. Jude for its visitors and employees to live and shop closer to the hospital complex. Many properties neighboring the hospital are owned by St. Jude, reducing the potential burdens relating to site assemblage for larger projects. In the South Main subarea, smaller restaurants and shops will persist and current vacancies will fill. With a large number of surface parking lots and vacant parcels within the study area, these sites are primed for future development over the next 20 years. The most recent proposal includes Union Row, located between Union Avenue and Beale Street west of Danny Thomas Boulevard. The proposed development features nearly 800 apartments, a 200-room hotel and commercial space for a grocery store, retail and office. Additionally, approximately 2,000 parking spaces will be built with the development. Further development sites that could serve as catalyst locations for future growth are situated within the Civic Center and Downtown Core such as those lots surrounding the court facilities and the existing surface lot on Beale Street between S. Front Street and S. Main Street.

PARKING SPACES NEEDED TO MEET SHARED DEMAND SUBAREA

EXISTING IMMEDIATE INVENTORY GROWTH

MEDIUMTERM GROWTH

BOOM GROWTH

THE PINCH / ST. JUDE

6,249

5,300

6,200

7,200

CIVIC CENTER

7,298

7,000

8,000

8,900

DOWNTOWN CORE

17,065

8,600

11,000

11,900

SOUTH MAIN

2,692

1,500

2,000

2,300

SOUTH END

3,611

1,500

1,800

1,900

SOUTH CITY

5,422

4,500

5,000

5,300

THE EDGE

4,134

1,500

1,800

2,100

24,835

20,600

22,600

25,500

MEDICAL DISTRICT

Note: Numbers shown are total parking spaces needed to meet demand in each subarea in each scenario (not in addition to existing capacity).

FUTURE SCENARIO RESULTS In most subareas, even in the Boom Growth scenario, there is no net increase in parking supply required to accommodate anticipated growth. However, since much of the existing supply is provided in less-than-optimal facilities (either they are in facilities with poor conditions, they are themselves located on future development sites, and/or they are in private facilities that cannot be used to support nearby growth without shared parking agreements) there may be the need for “replacement parking” development.

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

SUBAREA PROFILES The study area covers eight different Downtown neighborhoods. These subareas are the basis for more detailed parking inventory and utilization analysis, as well as recommendations presented in the next chapter.

DOWNTOWN CORE • While there are many cultural institutions present, office uses dominate the district and drive parking demand. • Supplying enough proximate employee parking is a main concern for Downtown offices. • The lack of on-street parking on both Front Street and Main Street puts stress on the limited side street spaces for patrons, employees, and residents in buildings closer to the riverfront. • Residential parking is a challenge, as there is no on-street permit parking program in existence citywide nor many negotiated spaces in public or private garages for overnight parking. • Encouraging property managers to allow or charge residents and visitors to park in employee spaces after hours in the 30 Downtown Core garages would help satisfy the evening visitor and residential parking demand Downtown.

CURRENT CONDITIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES Although Downtown competes with East Memphis as the city’s main business and financial district, the Downtown Core is one of Memphis’ main employment centers, playing host to corporate headquarters AutoZone and ServiceMaster. As its subarea character suggests, parking facilities are most heavily used midday on weekdays and are mostly empty all day on weekends. Large underutilized parking towards the eastern edge abutting Danny Thomas Boulevard could support parking needs in the Edge or closer to the Mississippi River. These lots are restricted to office or institutional tenants, and weak pedestrian connections make these paths feel hostile and unpleasant.

Parking Facility Type TOTAL SPACES

100%

830

708

85%

OFF-STREET

14,448

95%

Employees Only

618

Employees + Customers

956

Customers + Patients/Guests

1,107

410

240

11,711

75%

ON-STREET 30 Min Meter 30 Min Parking/Loading 2 Hr Meter Unregulated Bus Stop Other

Residential Student + Employee

Open to the Public Downtown Memphis Parking Study

Percentage of Spaces

15,278

Valet

Number of Spaces

ON-STREET PARKING TYPES

15 Min Parking/Loading 30 Min Parking/Loading 30 Min Meter 1 Hour Parking 2 Hour Parking 2 Hour Meter Unregulated No Parking (Weekdays) No Parking (Events) Bus Stop Other

OFF-STREET PARKING TYPES

Employee Only Employees + Customers Customers + Patients/Guests Residential Student + Employee Student Only Valet Open to the Public Other Garage Downtown Memphis Parking Study

DOWNTOWN CORE: UTILIZATION AND DEMAND The difference in use between time periods is striking: DPA garages open to all parkers reach 71% occupancy at peak but have low use during weekend morning and midday periods and are only half-full on weekend evenings. Facilities oriented to tourism and visitor parking have an opposite pattern from office parking demand; they hover around 60% full on weekdays and approach functional capacity on Saturdays. Although the supply of street spaces is relatively limited compared to garages and lots, it is understandably a first choice for many due to its price advantage, the poor perception of garages, and relatively lax time-limit enforcement. Few on-street blocks had occupancy less than 60% at any point during the day. The highest demand for on-street parking during peak-time weekdays is located on Monroe Avenue, near Adams Avenue, and on the northern section of BB King Boulevard. Each street maintained occupancy of over 80% all day. On-street meter hours extend deep into the evening, with time limit regulations ending at 10 PM on many blocks south of Monroe Avenue. The area will also need other approaches for managing visitor demand, especially in afternoons and evenings near the FedExForum. Revising parking agreements and the span of enforcement can help to balance this and drive longerduration parking demand into available space in garages and lots, particularly in evening hours.

Immediate Medium-Term Boom Growth Growth Growth Shared Parking Demand per Scenario

8,600

Total Supply, Including Extra Spaces Built According to ITE Standards

11,000

11,900

20,300

22,000

Existing Inventory = 17,065 parking spaces Industrial Recreational

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

Retail

Service Institutional Religious

Office

Educational Residential

91% or Greater

81% - 90%

WEEKDAY DEMAND PEAK: 11 AM - 3 PM

If all parking were strictly reserved for individual uses, the five-year growth scenario would need 20,000 parking spaces – the equivalent of 26 additional blocks of surface parking, and the long-term scenario would need 22,000 spaces. Sharing spaces in public lots and garages reduces the number of required spaces by 54%.

»»

Although the number of housing units is expected to more than double in five years and more than triple in twenty years, the overnight parking demand can be easily

31% - 60%

30% or Less

WEEKEND DEMAND PEAK: 4 PM - 8 PM

FUTURE PARKING DEMAND »»

61% - 80%

accommodated within the existing public supply, even if many households have more than one vehicle. »»

The five-year increase in office space from infill conversion and new construction drives an increase in daytime demand, but it is still lower than existing supply.

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

SOUTH MAIN • The South Main Street district has attracted dining and entertainment businesses that easily dovetail with Beale Street activities and events held at the FedExForum and AutoZone Park.

CURRENT CONDITIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES As the center of much tourist and service activity, this district draws more nighttime activity than daytime use. However, the comparative lack of public parking spaces (just 29% of off-street spaces) nearby to these attractions does not comfortably serve demand. Apart from the Tennessee Brewery Garage and Gibson Guitar parking lot, the subarea is notable for having many smaller facilities, most under 50 spaces, on private lots supporting adjacent business land uses. Residential parking spaces experience the highest utilization of any land use in the subarea.

• The district hosts a smaller number of employers with a mix of office and retail space, including several museum institutions that draw in visitors. • Small off-street lots make up the majority of the parking supply in the South Main subarea. • The lack of regulation on subarea street spaces, not including South Main and MLK Ave., has led to their use as support businesses within the district, putting pressure on this supply. • On-street weekend parking demand was high throughout the whole subarea, but especially peaked in locations closer to the Downtown Core, with occupancy on many blocks reaching more than 90% in the evening.

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

Parking Facility Type

Total Spaces

Number of Spaces

Percentage of Spaces

2,450

100%

530

22%

169

32%

304

57%

Bus Stop

Other

1,920

78%

Employees Only

242

11%

Employees + Customers

285

13%

Customers + Patients/Guests

458

21%

Residential

441

20%

Open to the Public

636

29%

Other

100

ON-STREET 15 Min Parking/Loading 2 Hr Meter Unregulated

OFF-STREET

ON-STREET PARKING TYPES

15 Min Parking/Loading 30 Min Parking/Loading 30 Min Meter 1 Hour Parking 2 Hour Parking 2 Hour Meter Unregulated No Parking (Weekdays) No Parking (Events) Bus Stop ON-STREET PARKING TYPES

Other

OFF-STREET PARKING TYPES

Employee Only Employees + Customers Customers + Patients/Guests Residential Student + Employee Student Only Valet Open to the Public OFF-STREET PARKING TYPES

Other Garage Downtown Memphis Parking Study

SOUTH MAIN: UTILIZATION AND DEMAND On-street parking on Pontotoc Ave, Vance Ave, and Front Street is mainly unregulated, while parking on Main Street and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue is metered with two-hour time limits. The highest demand for on-street parking was located near Front Street during peak time on weekdays. On-street weekend parking demand was high throughout the whole subarea, but especially peaked in the areas closer to the Downtown Core. It increases from 49% to 82% throughout the day. During the PM peak, almost all blocks are above 60% utilization.

Immediate Medium-Term Boom Growth Growth Growth Shared Parking Demand per Scenario

1,500

Total Supply, Including Extra Spaces Built According to ITE Standards

2,000

2,300

5,900

6,300

Existing Inventory = 17,065 parking spaces

FUTURE PARKING DEMAND »»

Were all parking strictly reserved for individual uses, the medium-term scenario would need 4,200 parking spaces – the equivalent of 8 more blocks of surface parking, and the boom scenario would need 5,000 spaces. Sharing spaces in public lots and garages reduces the required spaces by 49%.

»»

The number of housing units is expected to almost double in the medium term, increasing the overnight parking demand to close to 1,000 parking spaces. Vehicles from many of these households may exhaust the available off-street public spaces during the evening if sharing is not possible.

»»

The medium-term scenario’s 150% increase in office space adds to the daytime demand, but it is still lower than existing supply.

Industrial Recreational

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

Retail

Service Institutional Religious

Office

Educational Residential

91% or Greater

WEEKDAY DEMAND PEAK 4 PM - 8 PM

81% - 90%

61% - 80%

31% - 60%

30% or Less

WEEKEND DEMAND PEAK 4 PM - 8 PM

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

CIVIC CENTER • Sandwiched between St. Jude and the Downtown business district, Civic Center is dominated by the Shelby County court buildings and the city’s convention center. • These buildings generate a large number of daily visitors and event traffic. Nonetheless, parking is not fully utilized, even at peak times. • Most parking in the subarea is confined to off-street spaces serving the offices and convention space. Many arterial streets do not allow curbside parking, and access into Uptown Square is restricted. • Off-street demand does not surpass a weekday peak of 46% occupancy, driven by government office workers and Pyramid visitor demand. • Times and locations of high utilization are uneven, diverging on opposite sides of B.B. King Blvd. • The Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid parking represents a huge opportunity if it could be better integrated into the neighborhood.

CURRENT CONDITIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES Civic Center includes the Memphis Cook Convention Center, Shelby County and federal courts and judiciary buildings, Uptown Square apartments, and a vast amount of surface parking east of N. B.B. King Boulevard. Very little retail square footage exists. On-street spaces are primarily metered and time-limited to two hours. The highest weekday demand for on-street parking took place at Exchange Ave. in the morning and on 2nd Street and B.B. King Blvd. during other time periods. The majority of off-street spaces are open to the public and in smaller privately owned hourly and daily rate facilities. The subarea, however, also contains three of the largest parking facilities in the Downtown study area – the Pyramid parking lot, the Convention Center Garage, and the Justice Center Garage.

Parking Facility Type TOTAL SPACES

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

Percentage of Spaces

7,298

100%

364

292

80%

16%

Bus Stop

Other

6,934

95%

416

2,251

32%

4,191

60%

ON-STREET 30 Min Parking/Loading 2-Hour Meters Unregulated

OFF-STREET Employees Only Employees + Customers Customers + Patients/Guests Residential Open to the Public

Number of Spaces

ON-STREET PARKING TYPES

15 Min Parking/Loading 30 Min Parking/Loading 30 Min Meter 1 Hour Parking 2 Hour Parking 2 Hour Meter Unregulated No Parking (Weekdays) No Parking (Events) Bus Stop Other

OFF-STREET PARKING TYPES

Employee Only Employees + Customers Customers + Patients/Guests Residential Student + Employee Student Only Valet Open to the Public Other Garage Downtown Memphis Parking Study

CIVIC CENTER: UTILIZATION AND DEMAND On weekends, employee parking demand disappears, and subarea off-street occupancy drops to a maximum of 20% midday. Absolute peak parking demand increases less than 5% when special event programming is added to the land use profile, due to the fact that it occurs during the middle of the business day. Plenty of subarea capacity remains during weekday evenings and all day on weekends to accommodate this demand, and the distance of the Convention Center from the AutoZone ballpark, FedExForum, and Beale Street performance venues can help avoid localized parking shortages.

Immediate Medium-Term Boom Growth Growth Growth Shared Parking Demand per Scenario

7,000

Total Supply, Including Extra Spaces Built According to ITE Standards

8,000

8,900

9,800

10,300

Existing Inventory = 7,298 parking spaces

FUTURE DEMAND FINDINGS »»

Utilization counts occurred on days without a major convention or large-scale event scheduled. The shared parking model, in turn, was calibrated without including the full capacity of the Convention Center to best replicate conditions when utilization data was collected. With high demand from the Convention Center, peak parking demand today in the subarea can reach functional capacity at 88% occupancy, especially with limited on-street parking.

»»

Were all parking strictly reserved, the medium-term scenario would need 11,500 parking spaces – the equivalent of 13 more blocks of surface parking or four Riverfront Garages, and the boom growth would need 12,750 spaces. Sharing spaces in

Industrial Recreational

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

Retail

Service Institutional Religious

Office

Educational Residential

91% or Greater WEEKDAY DEMAND PEAK: 11 AM - 3 PM

81% - 90%

61% - 80%

31% - 60%

30% or Less

WEEKEND DEMAND PEAK: 4 PM - 8 PM

public lots and garages reduces the required spaces by 27%. The largest share of the existing parking supply is already open to the public (60%). »»

More than 1,500 housing units are expected in the medium term – a 310% increase. This new development will likely push overnight parking demand above the existing supply if no new spaces are included. TDM programs for residents and options for visitors such as bikeshare, carshare, and discount transit passes would be effective to reduce convention and resident parking demand.

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

THE PINCH / ST. JUDE • Dominated by the restricted-access St. Jude hospital campus, the Pinch contains few residential units or restaurant and active retail uses. • Only 9% of subarea spaces are available to the public (578 spaces), mostly surrounding Main Street. • St. Jude is facing critical on-campus parking supply constraints during and after near-term construction; new development is not expected to fully satisfy anticipated employee and visitor parking at current pricing, and transportation demand management programs/incentives will be needed. • Large underutilized garages could support the parking needs of neighboring areas, though they will need stronger connections to make this feasible. • The William Hudson Transit Center where 20 MATA buses stop is a valuable asset for the Pinch/St. Jude.

CURRENT CONDITIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES The Pinch consists of small-scale retail and office as well as the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital campus. There is no on-street parking on either Front Street, 2nd Street or 3rd Street, but parking on Main Street is unregulated. Similar to South Main, parking in the Pinch for retail, restaurant, and office space – excluding St. Jude and ALSAC buildings – is mostly found in a number of smaller lots of less than 50 spaces. Growing residential and retail uses close towards Main Street will drive demand for the limited public parking that exists. A growing desire for St. Jude employees and patients/families to live closer to the hospital has put pressure on nearby housing across A.W. Willis Avenue and will inspire development proposals to replace surface parking and vacant lots near N. 2nd Street.

Parking Facility Type TOTAL SPACES

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

Percentage of Spaces

6,249

100%

ON-STREET

141

Unregulated

126

89%

11%

6,108

98%

470

2,960

48%

2,198

36%

437

No Parking (Events)

OFF-STREET Employees Only Employees + Customers Customers + Patients/Guests Residential Open to the Public

Number of Spaces

ON-STREET PARKING TYPES

15 Min Parking/Loading 30 Min Parking/Loading 30 Min Meter 1 Hour Parking 2 Hour Parking 2 Hour Meter Unregulated No Parking (Weekdays) No Parking (Events) OFF-STREET Bus Stop PARKING TYPES Because of St. Jude’s complex’s limited-access internal streets, its large building footprint, and its focus on its own parking facilities, there is relatively little on-street parking in the subarea.

Other

OFF-STREET PARKING TYPES

Employee Only Employees + Customers Customers + Patients/Guests Residential Student + Employee Student Only Valet Open to the Public Other Garage Downtown Memphis Parking Study

THE PINCH / ST. JUDE: UTILIZATION AND DEMAND Pedestrian and bicycle access across these major streets is limited and intimidating. Given that patients and their families are more likely to not have a car than other residents Downtown because they may be shorter term stays or are coming from out of town, these multimodal improvements will be key to managing the parking supply and maintaining affordable access.

Immediate Medium-Term Boom Growth Growth Growth Shared Parking Demand per Scenario

5,300

Total Supply, Including Extra Spaces Built According to ITE Standards

6,200

7,200

7,900

8,200

Existing Inventory = 6,249 parking spaces

FUTURE PARKING DEMAND »»

The unshared parking demand closely aligns with the existing supply – dominated by St. Jude and ALSAC facilities.

»»

Today, the Pinch has few housing units; as development picks up, this number is expected to increase in the medium-term scenario, boosting demand for evening retail and services.

»»

The medium term scenario would need 7,500 parking spaces—the equivalent of 7 more blocks of surface parking— which is more than the available land. St. Jude’s three garages concentrate 3,650 spaces.

»»

The boom scenario would need 8,800 spaces to accommodate unshared demand. Sharing spaces in public facilities reduces the number of required spaces by 17%, to 7,200. This is more than the existing supply.

»»

If new housing and office space expected in the short term supplied parking according to ITE standards, there would be excess spaces even in the long-term scenario. Industrial Recreational

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

Retail

Service Institutional Religious

Office

Educational Residential

91% or Greater

81% - 90%

61% - 80%

31% - 60%

30% or Less

WEEKDAY DEMAND PEAK 11 AM - 3 PM

* St. Judeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s emphasis on campus security for its vulnerable patient population of children prevented utilization data collection in its own parking facilities.

WEEKEND DEMAND PEAK 4 PM - 8 PM

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

SOUTH END

CURRENT CONDITIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES

• In the past decade, the subarea has grown substantially in the number of housing units, as vacant land has been replaced with residential developments.

Most of the off-street parking spaces are dedicated to residences or to USPS employees. These private residential lots are the most occupied on weekends at midday, peaking at 67% full. Parking for USPS employees and industrial businesses are similarly full on weekdays.

• The South End is dominated by more residential land uses than other Downtown subareas, with limited retail or service uses. • Most of these housing units include off-street parking limited to residents in individual townhouse garages, behind gated access, or in large surface lots. • The limited on-street spaces are almost all unregulated and in high demand on Carolina Ave. and Front Street. • The only public off-street parking is found at the train station.

Memphis’ Amtrak station, Powerhouse movie theater, and Farmers Market anchor the eastern edge of the South End subarea, which contains a mix of small-scale and large-scale residential buildings, industrial light manufacturing and warehousing, and office space.

The only off-street public parking spaces are at the train station, currently under construction. No on-street spaces in the South

Parking Facility Type TOTAL SPACES

3,611

100%

ON-STREET

916

25%

Unregulated

909

99%

2,695

75%

Employees Only

913

34%

Employees + Customers

142

1,182

44%

133

240

Bus Stop

OFF-STREET

Customers + Patients/Guests Residential Open to the Public Other

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

Number Percentage of Spaces of Spaces

ON-STREET PARKING TYPES

OFF-STREET PARKING TYPES

15 Min Parking/Loading

Employee Only

30 Min Parking/Loading

Employees + Customers

30 Min Meter 1 Hour Parking 2 Hour Parking 2 Hour Meter Unregulated

Customers + Patients/Guests Residential Student + Employee Student Only

No Parking (Weekdays)

Valet

No Parking (Events)

Open to the Public

Bus Stop

Other

Garage Downtown Memphis Parking Study

SOUTH END: UTILIZATION AND DEMAND End are time-limited or metered; all but MATA bus stops are unregulated. On-street parking is sparse closer to the riverfront, but heaviest occupancy rates are found on Carolina Avenue on weekends between Kansas Street and Front Street on weekends. Creating additional transportation options by extending bikeshare locations, bike facilities, and carshare spaces will reduce parking demand. Similarly attracting diverse retail and service uses will allow for residents and visitors to the South End to complete more of their daily errands without getting in a vehicle for short trips and demanding a parking space.

Immediate Medium-Term Boom Growth Growth Growth Shared Parking Demand per Scenario

1,500

Total Supply, Including Extra Spaces Built According to ITE Standards

1,800

1,900

4,400

5,000

Existing Inventory = 3,611 parking spaces

FUTURE PARKING DEMAND »»

Parking demand will likely be higher in the future as continued residential and new office development occurs near the train station and south of Georgia Avenue. Existing supply can likely accommodate future demand without the need for subsidized new facilities.

»»

Were all parking strictly reserved for individual uses, the short term land use scenario would need 3,000 parking spaces, and the long term scenario would need 3,300 spaces, less than the existing supply. Sharing spaces in public lots and garages reduces the number of required spaces by 31%.

Industrial Recreational

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

Retail

Service Institutional Religious

Office

Educational Residential

91% or Greater

WEEKDAY DEMAND PEAK 8 AM - 11 AM

81% - 90%

61% - 80%

31% - 60%

30% or Less

WEEKEND DEMAND PEAK 11 AM - 3 PM

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

SOUTH CITY • The South City subarea is largely industrial and dominated by surface parking lots dedicated to the US Postal Service, trucking, equipment, and auto repair businesses, or Temple of Deliverance. • There is very little office or retail space within the subarea and therefore little need to accommodate employee or customer parking. • The subarea contains a significant on-street parking supply compared to neighboring subareas and almost no public off-street spaces. Small businesses and other institutions opening through adaptive reuse of existing buildings on Monroe Ave. or Marshall Ave. do not have immediately available off-street parking. • There will also be growing pressure for additional residential units, for student-focused housing as well as homes for Downtown employees , bringing a new type of parking demand.

CURRENT CONDITIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES This is a slowly growing subarea with large surface parking and industrial land use discouraging pedestrian connections for lowcost employee or event parking and spillover from the Downtown Core and South Main subareas at the moment. A few large potentially shared parking facilities exist and strategic streetscape investments, wayfinding signage, and shuttle connections may encourage the use of these more remote lots. To the northern edge, the FedExForum creates considerable special event parking demand. All parking associated with the arena, including the 1,500-space garage, restricts access to event attendees or valet services and is not open to the public. Only

Parking Facility Type TOTAL SPACES

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

Percentage of Spaces

5,422

100%

842

16%

696

83%

No Parking (Weekdays)

10%

Bus Stop

4,580

84%

Employees Only

385

Employees + Customers

380

Customers + Patients/ Guests

1,616

35%

116

400

1,683

37%

ON-STREET 1 Hour Parking Unregulated

OFF-STREET

Residential Valet Open to the Public

Number of Spaces

ON-STREET PARKING TYPES

15 Min Parking/Loading 30 Min Parking/Loading 30 Min Meter 1 Hour Parking 2 Hour Parking 2 Hour Meter Unregulated No Parking (Weekdays) No Parking (Events) Bus Stop Other

OFF-STREET PARKING TYPES

Employee Only Employees + Customers Customers + Patients/Guests Residential Student + Employee Student Only Valet Open to the Public Other Garage Downtown Memphis Parking Study

SOUTH CITY: UTILIZATION AND DEMAND the large Temple of Deliverance surface lot spaces allow public parking, through a shared agreement on weekdays. On-street, however, most spaces are unregulated, with some spaces on Vance Ave. lacking parking on weekdays. Parking utilization counts were conducted on a day without a game or event held in the FedExForum. As a result, overall occupancy in the subarea remained very low, peaking at less than 10% full in both off-street spaces and on-street spaces during the evening hours. The highest demand for on-street parking was on Beale Street and Vance Ave. closer to the Downtown Core.

FUTURE DEMAND »»

Were all parking strictly reserved, the medium term scenario would need 7,000 parking spaces – the equivalent of 15 more blocks of surface parking, and the boom scenario would need 8,700 spaces. Sharing spaces in public lots and garages reduces the number of necessary spaces by 54% to 5,300.

»»

Although the number of housing units is expected to more than double in the medium term, and more than triple in the boom scenario, overnight parking can be easily accommodated within the existing public supply, even if many households have more than one vehicle.

»»

The short-term increase in office space from infill conversion and new construction drives an increase in daytime demand, but it is still lower than existing supply.

Immediate Medium-Term Boom Growth Growth Growth Shared Parking Demand per Scenario

4,500

Total Supply, Including Extra Spaces Built According to ITE Standards

5,000

5,300

7,100

7,500

Existing Inventory = 5,422 parking spaces Industrial Recreational

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

Retail

Service Institutional Religious

Office

Educational Residential

91% or Greater

WEEKDAY DEMAND PEAK 5 PM - 7 PM

81% - 90%

61% - 80%

31% - 60%

30% or Less

WEEKEND DEMAND PEAK 4 PM - 8 PM

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

THE EDGE • The limited supply of parking spaces available to the public is mostly on-street. Only one small surface lot provides off-street public parking. • Sandwiched between the major employment hubs of the Downtown Core and the Medical District, development has recently begun to grow into the void. • Small businesses and other institutions opening through adaptive reuse of existing buildings on Monroe Ave. or Marshall Ave. do not have immediately available offstreet parking.

CURRENT CONDITIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES Home to several attractions including Victorian Village and Sun Studio and home to Southwest Tennessee Community College, the subarea is becoming a revitalized mixed-use walkable environment. Today, there is abundant parking availability all day, even during FedExForum events. The Edge has the potential to offer spillover and remote parking opportunities to other

Parking Facility Type TOTAL SPACES

Number of Spaces

Percentage of Spaces

4,167

100%

1,004

24%

30 Min Parking/Loading

1 Hr Parking

2 Hr Parking

794

79%

ON-STREET

2 Hr Meter Unregulated

• All off-street parking spaces are in surface lots, although sometimes covered from the elements as they are for Paul Border Towers residents.

No Parking (Weekdays)

Bus Stop

• Parking spaces predominantly serve offices, followed by institutions and industrial land use.

OFF-STREET

3,163

76%

Employees Only

1,227

38%

Employees + Customers

1,380

43%

215

220

Other

Customers + Patients/Guests Residential Open to the Public Other

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

ON-STREET PARKING TYPES

15 Min Parking/Loading 30 Min Parking/Loading 30 Min Meter 1 Hour Parking 2 Hour Parking 2 Hour Meter Unregulated No Parking (Weekdays) No Parking (Events) Bus Stop Other

OFF-STREET PARKING TYPES

Employee Only Employees + Customers Customers + Patients/Guests Residential Student + Employee Student Only Valet Open to the Public Other Garage Downtown Memphis Parking Study

THE EDGE: UTILIZATION AND DEMAND neighborhoods Downtown, particularly the nearby Medical District, if customer-only and employee-only facilities joined shared agreements. On-street spaces are mostly unregulated, but close to the Shelby County Juvenile Court and Victorian Village historic buildings there are two-hour metered spaces to help promote turnover and manage visitor access. Coincidentally, these metered spaces are amongst the highest occupancy on-street parking spaces on weekdays, reaching peak demand at more than 80% full in the mid-afternoon.

FUTURE DEMAND »»

There will be growing pressure for additional residential units, for student-focused housing as well as homes for Downtown employees, bringing a new type of parking demand.

»»

Were all parking strictly reserved, the medium-term scenario would need 3,600 parking spaces—two-thirds of what exists today—and the boom scenario would need 4,200 spaces, still fewer than the existing supply. Sharing spaces reduces the number of required spaces by 33%.

»»

The number of housing units is expected to increase by 50% in the medium-term and almost double in the long-term scenario. There is little public and on-street parking to absorb the vehicles from these new households if on-site parking is not provided or sharing agreements are not put in place.

Immediate Medium-Term Boom Growth Growth Growth Shared Parking Demand per Scenario

1,500

Total Supply, Including Extra Spaces Built According to ITE Standards

1,800

2,100

5,700

6,100

Existing Inventory = 4,134 parking spaces Industrial Recreational

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

Retail

Service Institutional Religious

Office

Educational Residential

91% or Greater

WEEKDAY DEMAND PEAK 11 AM - 3 PM

81% - 90%

61% - 80%

31% - 60%

30% or Less

WEEKEND DEMAND PEAK 11 AM - 3 PM

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

MEDICAL DISTRICT • Off-street parking open to the public is in limited supply, as most spaces are controlled by the numerous hospitals and educational institutions for their own use. • Metered on-street parking is limited and concentrated in pockets in the western half of the district. • Parking locations and price incentives for hospital employees, patients, and visitors are often in direct conflict with an institutional mission of providing the best care for patients. For example, employee parking is in a reserved lot closest to the facility doors, but patients must park a couple of blocks away. • Institutions are fearful that charging for parking may deter prospective employees and students, visitors, patients, etc. • Almost all of the hospital and teaching institutions have expansion plans, which will strain existing parking supplies in central locations.

CURRENT CONDITIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES Historically dominated by commuter-focused training hospitals with large surface lots, these Medical District institutions are beginning to invest in more residential units on campus as enrollment grows. Like in other subareas, built housing is nearly at full occupancy: at least 95% of units are occupied.1 The Madison Avenue Trolley Line, which traverses the Medical District from 1 “An Analysis Of Residential Market Potential: The Memphis Medical District” January 2019, Zimmerman/Volk Associates, Inc.

Parking Facility Type TOTAL SPACES

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

Percentage of Spaces

24,785

100%

2,925

12%

15 Min Parking/Loading

30 Min Parking/Loading

224

2,441

83%

134

Bus Stop

Other

OFF-STREET

21,860

88%

Employees Only

2,644

12%

Employees + Customers

6,927

32%

Customers + Patients/Guests

3,053

14%

Residential

1,098

Student + Employee

3,360

15%

963

3,188

15%

627

ON-STREET

1 Hr Parking 2 Hr Meter Unregulated No Parking (Weekdays)

Student Only Open to the Public

Number of Spaces

Other

ON-STREET PARKING TYPES

OFF-STREET PARKING TYPES

15 Min Parking/Loading

Unregulated

30 Min Parking/Loading

No Parking (Weekdays)

30 Min Meter

No Parking (Events)

1 Hour Parking

Bus Stop

2 Hour Parking

Other

2 Hour Meter

Employee Only

Student Only

Employees + Customers

Valet

Customers + Patients/Guests

Open to the Public

Residential

Other

Student + Employee

Garage

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

MEDICAL DISTRICT: UTILIZATION AND DEMAND Downtown to Midtown, will becomes operational again in one to two years. More aggressive pushes to adopt TDM programs offered by the MMDC and use of remote parking along transit connections, including a pilot shuttle to Harbor Town, are already underway as institutions expand.

Immediate Medium-Term Boom Growth Growth Growth Shared Parking Demand per Scenario

20,600

Total Supply, Including Extra Spaces Built According to ITE Standards

22,600

25,500

28,600

31,800

Existing Inventory = 24,835 parking spaces

FUTURE DEMAND »»

Medical offices and hospital staff drive parking demand, which begins and tails off earlier than other Downtown subareas. Additional programs aimed at reducing parking demand can help ensure availability for those arriving later in the daytime.

»»

Significant investments in new supply can be limited with additional programs such as remote parking, improved frequency on MATA crosstown routes, and/or improved mobility choices sponsored by MMDC.

»»

Were all parking strictly reserved for individual uses, the short-term land use scenario would need 37,500 parking spaces — the equivalent of 66 additional blocks of surface parking — and the long-term scenario would need 42,000 spaces. Sharing spaces reduces the number of recommended spaces by 33%, to 25,500 spaces.

»»

The short-term increase in medical office space drives a further increase in daytime demand, putting pressure on reserved spaces during the mid-afternoon peak. Industrial Recreational

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

Retail

Service Institutional Religious

Office

Educational Residential

91% or Greater

WEEKDAY DEMAND PEAK 11 AM - 3 PM

81% - 90%

61% - 80%

31% - 60%

30% or Less

WEEKEND DEMAND PEAK 5 PM - 7 PM

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

6 RECOMMENDATIONS While the 10 parking management recommendations detailed on the following pages serve the entire Downtown area, some may be more applicable to select subareas than others.

RECOMMENDATIONS About 66% of Downtown employees drive alone to work, lower than the citywide rate (81%) or the rate for Shelby County (83%). Survey responses indicate that almost 75% of Downtown employees receive free or subsidized parking, yet few Downtown employers offer comprehensive mobility programs or incentives to encourage travel by other modes or reduce overall parking demand. Improving mobility choice does not mean that every employee has to stop driving. A shift in behavior for a fraction of employees can have a significant impact on reducing parking demand, lessen the need to build new spaces, and mitigate rush hour congestion. For every person who uses another mode, there is one more parking space available for someone who does drive. Parking is expensive to build, operate, and maintain. In any location where new parking is warranted, it should: »»

Be shared and open to the public to the greatest degree possible.

»»

Be managed as part of the larger system, so that prices and regulations primarily incentivize use by long-term parkers. If off-street parking is more expensive than onstreet parking, people will continue to circle and create congestion.

»»

Include technology and wayfinding that makes parking easy to locate and use.

»»

Contribute to the Downtown environment by supporting strong urban design, pedestrian access and safety, and street activity via ground-floor uses.

»»

Consider design implications of reduced parking demand due to new technology and mobility solutions.

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

RECOMMENDATIONS FRAMEWORK The Plan recommendations support the achievement of the goals and objectives identified by the project team and the working group. Each of the 10 recommendations support the three big ideas identified as the most effective way to address Downtown Memphis’ existing and future parking demand. This chapter includes an overview of the recommendations, as well as detailed descriptions for each recommendation. The recommendations emphasize a need for a district- and performance-based management approach that better utilizes existing parking assets. Improved management of parking will enable Downtown Memphis to unlock its development potential and continue to grow sustainably, while reducing overall demand for parking and minimizing traffic congestion. Implementing these recommendations will not be easy. Downtown Memphis’ diverse parking stakeholders will need to collaborate to implement recommendations as a package; each strategy coordinates with others to improve the overall parking system throughout the different subareas. Deliberate and continued recognition of the project goals and desired outcomes is key to overcoming inertia, resistance, and growing pains along the way. Implementation of the recommendations is described in Chapter 7.

All 10 recommendations fit into three big ideas.

3. BUILD NEW PARKING SPARINGLY AND STRATEGICALLY –– Support high-impact development. –– When DMC must build new parking, put it in the right place to unlock the long-term development potential of neighborhoods. –– Plan for longer-term mobility trends.

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

REIMAGINE THE DPA AS THE DMA

UTILIZE EXISTING PARKING FIRST

BUILD NEW PARKING SPARINGLY AND STRATEGICALLY

1. ESTABLISH A DOWNTOWN MOBILITY AUTHORITY

SUBAREAS: Downtown Core, South Main, The Pinch/St. Jude, Civic Center, South End, South City, The Edge, Medical District The DMA can facilitate and implement parking and other mobility reforms, advising the City as challenges arise.The DMC/DPA are likely candidates to initiate the DMA, formalize its membership, and lead initiatives. Specific initiatives could include: »»

»»

Coordinated performance-based management program. Help guide the City Engineer when setting on-street parking rates, by integrating private off-street facilities’ rates and liaising with businesses and employers. Equally as important, members should distribute parking reform information within their given networks. Shared parking programs and policies. Educate and promote shared parking, including distribution of model shared parking agreement language and utilization information. Work with City partners to help identify willing parties and negotiate shared arrangements. Coordinated approach to technology and emerging mobility. The DMA can help inform efforts to coordinate payment and information technology. The DMA should also play a key role in developing guidelines for emerging mobility solutions. Incentives for private owners to improve and coordinate signage and information. Drivers are often unaware of which parking facility is publicly available, which limits public access. The City already has institutional capacity to maintain parking assets, both in knowledgeable staff as well as equipment. Creating a system that is comprehensible to the general public, including potentially producing signage for private lots, will quickly and inexpensively open new capacity.

»»

Guided allocation of parking revenue to broader mobility goals

»»

TDM programs and initiatives

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: PRIORITY:

COST: $ IMPACT:

TIME:

Challenge The number of people and organizations that contribute to parking management is substantial, ranging from major state and regional institutions to private parking operators to businesses. While the DMC is a full-time advocate on key issues, parking cannot always be front and center. A key to unlocking Memphis’ parking system is better access to existing parking. However, to maximize efforts to better utilize existing off-street spaces, a formal collaboration is needed between the DMA, City, MATA, private entities, prominent employers and other stakeholders. The DMA can have the representation from the following members, with subcommittees to support active transportation (bicycle and pedestrian investments), transit access, complete streets, and public parking: »» City of Memphis »» MATA »» DMC »»

Shelby County

»»

MMDC

Case Study: Ann Arbor, Michigan The Downtown Development Authority (DDA) began to fund mobility programs without a formal change in its chartered authority. The DDA hosts an Ann Arbor Parking Guide and interactive parking and walking map. It funds bikeway expansion, a GetDowntown Commuter Program, and the People-Friendly Street Program.

Case Study: Old Pasadena, California In 1993, Old Pasadena’s Business Improvement District established the Parking Meter Zone in which new $1/hr, seven-day-a-week meters generate revenue that is reinvested directly into public service and streetscape maintenance. Reinvested downtown parking revenues and allocation of additional revenue into downtown multimodal improvements.

Coordinated Mobility Services and Programs for Downtown Employees may reduce vehicle trips and the need for parking. Use the DMA as a one-stop employee mobility resource and a forum for employers, transportation providers, and other stakeholders to work together. Expand information and mobility services to include: »»

Formal employee on-boarding program with travel training and analysis for employees based on employee home locations and travel patterns

»»

Collecting/reporting parking and employee travel survey data

»»

Clearinghouse and resources to connect employers with emerging employee mobility platforms

»»

Centralized program and online portal for employee incentives

Parking is about more than vehicle storage; it is about access and mobility. Everyone who drives and parks is a pedestrian at some point on their trip. With any supplementary parking revenue from performance-based management, it is vital to prioritize reinvestment back into the Downtown, not only for new parking supply, but also to fund programs and strategies that improve overall access and mobility: »»

Partnerships with MATA to support additional investment into enhanced transit stations, stops, and service in Downtown with a primary focus on the 2012 Short Range Transit Plan which prioritizes rapid and frequent connections to Downtown and capitalize on existing transit initiatives, such as MATA rapid bus routes

»»

Expanded bicycle network, including bike parking and protected bike lanes

»»

Marketing and communication of parking system and mobility programs

»»

Technology upgrades to parking system

»»

Other streetscape and safety improvements, such as additional policing, ambassador programs, or street cleaning

»»

Operational funding to promote mobility investments that encourage employees to bike, walk, and take transit.

»»

Enhanced enforcement and event management

◦◦ Free or subsidized transit passes for employees and residents ◦◦ Shuttle services focused on remote parking access ◦◦ Subsidized carpool, guaranteed ride home, or shared mobility programs ◦◦ Bicycle/pedestrian safety and encouragement programs »»

Update website, marketing, and messaging to be more interactive and dynamic. ◦◦ Provide an interactive map of available parking spaces for employers and employees ◦◦ Facilitate bulk transit pass purchases ◦◦ Pursue “certification” program for employers who provide TDM programs and services ◦◦ Expand events that disrupt established travel patterns and assist commuters interested in experimenting with other travel options (i.e.,, Memphis Work From Home Day) ◦◦ Create “TDM Toolkit” for employers with clear implementation steps to begin TDM programs, such as a pre-tax commuter benefits program

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

REIMAGINE THE DPA AS THE DMA

UTILIZE EXISTING PARKING FIRST

BUILD NEW PARKING SPARINGLY AND STRATEGICALLY

2. EVALUATE A PARK-N-RIDE OR CIRCULATOR SHUTTLE TO IMPROVE TRANSIT CONNECTIONS AND ACCESS TO REMOTE PARKING

SUBAREAS: Downtown Core, The Pinch/St. Jude, South City, The Edge, Medical District

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: PRIORITY:

The City, DMA, and the MMDC should work closely with MATA and the medical institutions to improve Downtown transit connections to underutilized parking assets. Improving transit connections to more remote parking will help distribute parking demand and improve access for people traveling Downtown. Evaluate a redesigned park and ride or circulator shuttle. Circulators are challenging to operate productively—by default they actually serve few destinations and often require transfers to travel elsewhere within the system. Establishing a new (or consolidated) circulator shuttle with the MMDC will have to consider the following: »»

Operating model. Options include Memphis’ existing transit agency, MATA, a private operator, or a hybrid of the two.

»»

Fare structure. To encourage ridership, the circulator could be free for all users or just MMDC employees. Heavily subsidized service will require additional funding sources.

»»

Funding mechanism. Options include federal, state, and/or local funds, private funds pooled from MMDC businesses/employers, contributions from private sources, parking revenue, or likely a combination of all of the above.

Intentionally link transit to parking and other transportation modes. Wayfinding and marketing materials should clearly link transit, parking, and other facilities. Examples include: »»

Provide transit information with parking resources. For example, marketing materials should highlight MATA routes that provide service into the heart of Downtown. MATA’s maps should also highlight outlying parking locations and promote the program.

»»

Use on-the-ground wayfinding to enhance connections between transit services and parking lots/garages. This will help people locate parking when arriving and help them navigate back to where their car is parked when leaving Downtown.

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

COST: $$$ IMPACT:

TIME:

Challenge Transit can help alleviate and redistribute parking demand. MATA provides transit service both in Downtown and the rest of the city. In addition, MATA’s service provides frequent east-west connections. These services are an asset to Downtown, but are not directly linked to longer-term parking facilities located within Downtown. Case Study: Charleston, SC The Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) began service on a free park-and-ride shuttle through downtown in April 2018, coinciding with an increase in hourly on-street meter prices and enforcement hours. The “HOP” shuttle was aimed at employees of downtown hotels and restaurants, looping on Meeting St. and East Bay St. to a $5 daily lot. In May 2019, the remote lot was shut down for construction, prompting a minor rerouting to a site that is a one-minute drive away. Buses run 21 hours per day and are open to anyone. Ridership is steadily growing: in April 2019, the service attracted more than 13,000 passengers.

REIMAGINE THE DPA AS THE DMA

UTILIZE EXISTING PARKING FIRST

BUILD NEW PARKING SPARINGLY AND STRATEGICALLY

3. CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN WALKABLE, MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT DOWNTOWN

SUBAREAS: Downtown Core, South Main, The Pinch/St. Jude, Civic Center, South End, The Edge, Medical District Better use of existing available facilities is crucial to ongoing Downtown success and growth. So is encouraging commuters and residents to complete some trips without a car. Pedestrian safety and comfort is essential to creating a “park-once” Downtown where there is active street life and all parking facilities are used optimally. While the City has made tremendous walkability improvements on key corridors in the immediate Downtown core, additional investment in other districts should be prioritized. Incorporate design requirements that support a walkable environment. »»

Provide adequate setbacks from the building envelope, particularly on pedestrian-oriented street frontages

»»

Limit driveways, and driveway width, along walkable corridors

»»

Provide high-visibility pedestrian accommodations at curb cuts

»»

Encourage joint access to multiple lots from the street

»»

Expand the garage “wrap” requirement throughout Downtown

Expand parking maximums throughout the Downtown. The current code for the CBID has flexible parking maximums. Developers should be allowed to exceed the maximum, but only if the additional amount is shared and conditioned to certain outcomes. As appropriate, condense parking land use categories to improve ease-of-use. Where feasible, Memphis should condense parking land use categories to eliminate unnecessary complexity. Incorporate site-specific requirements for all mobility options. »»

Link bicycle parking requirements to the size of a given use, and include short- and long-term bicycle parking spaces.

»»

Require car-share and electric vehicle spaces in proportion to the size of the use, with a phased cap above a certain square footage.

Incorporate policy levers to improve development and tenant flexibility to produce context-sensitive design. »»

Allow for parking in-lieu fees, enabling developers to pay a per space fee instead of providing the parking on-site. Use revenue to fund shared parking supply.

»»

Require “unbundling,” allowing residents to pay only for the parking they need.

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: PRIORITY:

COST: $ IMPACT:

TIME:

Challenge In the core of Downtown, sidewalks are largely complete and well-lit, offer shade, and provide a sense of security and safety. As one moves to the edges of Downtown or outside of the core, the pedestrian realm begins to fray, amenities are limited, and comfort declines. Parking signs are prevalent throughout Downtown, including pricing, regulatory, and informational signs. However, signage varies from district to district and is largely inconsistent. Confusing signage exists at garages with both restricted and public parking. Lack of coordination can also result in visual clutter and reduce the attractiveness of Downtown. There is also limited branding of parking assets, and private operators display their own signs. As a result, while parking may be available a few blocks from their destination, many people may not know it exists or feel comfortable or safe walking to and from more distant parking facilities. The utility of such facilities diminishes and demand concentrates at nearby on-street spaces and/or lots and garages, leaving others underutilized. Plan for a changing mobility environment. Incorporate ride-hailing drop-off areas at the curb. Minimize conflict with transit, pedestrian, and bicycle activity. Plan for the impacts of autonomous vehicles (AVs) on parking. Incentivize the construction of parking that can be converted to other active uses as AVs become more prominent. (See Rec. 8)

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

Traditionally, parking costs are included in the sale or rental price of offices and housing. This is called “bundled” parking, and though the cost of this parking is hidden, it is never free. Consumers are passed on the cost of parking in the form of higher costs for goods, services, and rents. Another problem is that those who cannot afford a car, do not drive, or drive less, subsidize parking costs for those that do. One way to combat issues resulting from bundled parking is to reveal the true price of parking to the consumer by “unbundling” it. This allows people to make informed decisions about their parking needs, and the opportunity to save money by choosing to not park, or park less.

Bundled Parking

The cost of parking “bundled” into price of rents and other goods and services, hiding its true cost from consumers

WHY UNBUNDLE PARKING?

Unbundling is one of the most effective strategies for reducing parking demand and improving housing affordability. Parking is never free. When a developer builds parking, the cost of that parking is passed on to tenants in the rent or purchase price. Unbundling changes parking from a required purchase to an optional amenity. Among households with belowaverage vehicle ownership rates, allowing this choice can provide a substantial financial benefit.

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

FREE PARKING More FREE PARKING Coming Soon!

Parking Demand

Cost of parking is hidden in goods and services

Parking appears free, resulting in higher parking demand

More parking must be funded and built

Unbundled Parking

The cost of parking is “unbundled” to reveal the true price of parking, separate from rents and other goods and services

NEW HOUSING Coming Soon!

Parking Demand

Cost of parking is revealed to the user

PARK HERE

Consumers can save money by using less parking, resulting in lower parking demand

Less parking needs to be funded and built

Improved pedestrian access to specific parking facilities can encourage more usage. Prioritize walking routes to more remote parking facilities. Many sizeable parking facilities are a short walk from the Downtown Core, yet are often underutilized because people do not want to walk to them due to safety, lack of shade, or inconvenience. With focused improvements on a few select routes to garages just beyond the central core, parking demand in Downtown can be more evenly distributed. »»

Jefferson Ave.

»»

Union Ave.

»»

S. B.B. King Blvd.

»»

N. and S. Pauline St.

When walkability improves, parking spaces can support a “park once” system where people walk between destinations Downtown. This allows one parking space to serve multiple uses and lowers the need for a space at each destination.

A comprehensive signage and wayfinding system communicates where parkers can go. Signage and wayfinding is especially important to communicating pricing, regulations, and parking availability. Fully fund and implement a Wayfinding Plan. The DMC installed 62 signs in 2017. The City should make further investments to fully fund and implement an adopted parking signage program across Downtown. Coordinate with major Downtown parking stakeholders. Evaluate incentive programs for private facilities. Coordination with major parking owners should be a priority. At a minimum, the City should work with these major partners to ensure that signage provides consistent information and functionality. There is limited real-time availability signage Downtown. With a majority of Downtown Memphis’ off-street parking spaces in the control of the private sector, the full impact of a program will be limited without private-sector participation. As part of shared parking agreements, or as a stand-alone program, the City should explore cost-sharing agreements to fund signage upgrades (and removal of old signage) at participating private facilities. While full adoption is not likely, the City can establish a successful precedent by securing the participation of just a few existing and future private facilities. Ensure that improvements support performance-based program implementation. Signage and wayfinding is a core component of communicating the performance-based management program. For example, street signage should be used to display pricing tiers and level of availability for multiple parking options so that drivers can make an informed parking decision. It is crucial to coordinate signage improvements with other enhancements to parking information and implementation of new technology platforms.

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

REIMAGINE THE DPA AS THE DMA

UTILIZE EXISTING PARKING FIRST

BUILD NEW PARKING SPARINGLY AND STRATEGICALLY

4. IMPLEMENT A PERFORMANCE-BASED PARKING MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

SUBAREAS: Downtown Core, South Main, The Pinch/St. Jude, Civic Center, The Edge, Medical District The City’s current on-street parking regulation policy: »» Sets the specific consistent availability target at 85% for on-street spaces on each block. »» Grants engineering staff the authority to adjust rates and regulations to meet adopted availability targets. The policy, however, does not give the City authority to coordinate public off-street parking rates and regulations. In general, off-street parking should provide a cheaper, long-term option. The City should expand the policy to also: Establish minimum and maximum changes per rate adjustment (i.e., $.25 or $.50). The “right price” is always the lowest price that will achieve an availability target. Periodically adjusting rates—up where demand is higher and down where demand is lower—will allow Memphis to better distribute parking demand across Downtown. In general, off-street parking should provide a cheaper, long-term option. Establish initial boundaries, rates, and regulations by location and time, reflecting patterns of demand. One option for Memphis is to define “zones” or specific blocks and facilities corresponding to convenience and demand – “Premium,” “Value,” and “Discount” tiers of price. Communicate the program prior to implementation with effective outreach and messaging, including: »» An overall brand for the program. »» Marketing materials, including website/apps, social media, brochures, advertisements and service announcements.

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: PRIORITY:

COST: $ IMPACT:

TIME:

Challenge There are over 71,000 parking spaces in Downtown and yet parking availability challenges persist because: »» On-street meter rates are static at $1.50 per hour, even during the busiest times. The rates do not match the level of demand or patterns of behavior. »» Off-street parking is poorly signed, often under maintained, and often lack security features, leading to disincentives for drivers to utilize available off-street parking. As a result, the most popular on-street spaces are always taken, while off-street spaces go underutilized. Almost 20% of Downtown employees who responded to the online parking survey park on-street. Long-term parkers use prime on-street spaces all day, limiting access for customers and visitors. »» Ongoing workshops, trainings, and/or one-on-one meetings with Downtown stakeholders. Incentivize private lots and garages to participate. The performancebased management program should involve the largest share of the parking inventory as possible. Monitor and evaluate parking availability on a regular basis. Adjust rates and regulations on a periodic basis to meet adopted availability targets. Specific elements could include: »» Develop and implement specific methodologies for tracking occupancy data for on- and off-street parking. Initial approaches could include manual spot counts and evolve into utilizing algorithms based on meter and payment data. »» Establish data sharing protocols, including making inventory and occupancy data “open source.” »» Issue quarterly reports on system performance for parking/city staff and key stakeholders. Develop an annual “State of Downtown Parking Report” for review by City Council and the public.

Technology can strategically enhance performance-based parking management. Ensure signage, wayfinding, and information technology systems are in place prior to rollout to effectively operate the program and serve the customer. These tools make finding both parking and payment as easy as possible. Formally integrate parking goals and objectives into evaluation and implementation of new IT systems: »»

Adoption of guidelines for existing and future vendors to support performance-based management

»»

Review of existing vendor contracts and identification of areas for modification upon renewal or renegotiation

Prioritize investments in a few key areas to support performancebased management, such as: »»

Real-time availability via both on-the ground and advance signage, a one-stop website, and a smartphone app

»»

Driving directions and wayfinding to available parking

»»

Use of social media to communicate system information and updates

»»

Back-end systems that provide staff with real-time understanding of inventory and regulations, as well as key enforcement metrics

»»

Meter and payment systems that facilitate dynamic rate changes and provide multiple payment options

Coordinate and integrate technology systems throughout Downtown. Subsidized or cost-shared upgrades via shared parking agreements, a new affordable employee parking program, and/or revisions to business license requirements that stipulate certain conditions, such as requirement of a receipt for all parking transactions, should be coordinated in the IT system.

Technology is the means, not the end . Any new IT system should be evalua implemented to ensure that it supports the City’s larger parking and mobil https://www.parkomaha.com/ Park Omaha’s network incorporates private parking facilities as a means to avoid building more City facilities. The program provides a user-friendly, online ase tudy process for property owners to offer their unused spaces, at a specified schedule, to the Park Omaha network through a shared parking agreement. Operators apply online to be added to the Park Omaha interactive map. An expanded map view also provides information on rates, hours of operation and payment options. Park Omaha identifies these facilities as “partner” facilities and distinguishes them from Park Omaha facilities in its maps and information materials.

C S : OMAHA, NEBRASKA

Partner facilities are given a unique payment-zone designation for use with mobile payment built into the Park Omaha app, allowing drivers to pay for parking exactly as they would in a City facility. Revenue goes directly to the facility owners, allowing private facility owners to monetize their excess parking without having to set up payment systems, which helps in recruiting new Partners. Republic Parking operates and administers the parking system, provides customer service, makes upgrades, and oversees a Parking Ambassador program.

Pilot and test an advance reservation system for off-street facilities. Further evaluate a reservation system for on-street parking. Allowing drivers to reserve and pre-pay for off-street parking can enhance customer convenience, ensure that available spaces are effectively used, and reduce congestion related to cruising for parking. Advance purchase prices should be slightly lower than day-of rates to encourage the practice, yet should support a 10-15% availability target, so that parking facilities can still provide capacity for shortterm, spontaneous parking. Determine if on-street reservations add value relative to data accuracy, administrative burden, and equity. Application should likely be limited to certain corridors during major events and/or commercial loading spaces.

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

Challenge

Downtown is home to a substantial number of events that spur economic activity and are a fundamental part of Memphis’ culture. However, events place a heavy burden on the parking system and often disrupt Downtown access with street closures and deliveries.

Memphis’ parking enforcement staff are dedicated to their jobs and do admirable work under tough conditions. However, enforcement is inconsistently applied throughout the Downtown area. Adequate staffing is a challenge, which can lead to a lack of coverage and issues with compliance.

There are limited systems in place to ensure consistency between signage, payment systems, or clear communication of event parking policies. Together, these issues can create a system that creates parking pinch points, while easily accessible parking is underutilized.

Current citations ($21) are often lower than off-street parking, doing little to discourage illegal parking. Finally, there appear to be no adopted goals, objectives, or metrics to evaluate and guide enforcement practices.

Better event management practices maximize parking system flexibility and predictability. Provide as much advance information as possible. Providing information before a driver arrives Downtown limits searching, traffic, and frustration. Suggested approaches include: »»

Centralized online parking database, including prices and location, as well as real-time utilization. Link information to event organizers, hotels, ticket sites, and other key stakeholders.

»»

GPS-compatible information, so that drivers do not begin their search for parking right at their destination.

»»

Temporary signage directing drivers to multiple parking options. Incorporate and require coordinated signage and its placement into event permitting processes.

Adjust rates via a performance-based program to include peak event pricing in high-demand areas and value pricing in remote facilities. Utilize digitized asset management systems. A new centralized and dynamic online parking inventory (Rec. 5) should be configured to show real-time data so event transportation staff can quickly understand where and how to address parking hot spots. »»

»»

Capitalize on meter technology. Remotely program City meters to more easily communicate parking regulations. Transition to a realtime “event system” with dynamic signs linked to meters, reducing the administrative burden. Require event planners to support event management. This could include financial and/or on-the-ground support with meter bagging, signage, and/or traffic control related to parking.

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

Sufficient fiscal and staffing resources are needed for parking enforcement. If enforcement is administered consistently, fairly, and with a strong customer focus, complaints can be minimized and users will recognize how enforcement supports overall parking access. Conduct a workforce management review to ensure that officers can properly enforce parking Downtown for adequate coverage seven days a week (including evenings) and for special events. Periodic reinforcement of goals and policies, including compliance priorities, such as when to issue a warning notice versus a citation, is needed. »»

Evaluate enforcement zone boundaries, ensuring that they align with performance-based pricing zones. Create structured routes to ensure consistent enforcement.

»»

Implement a grace period and issue warnings.

»»

Prioritize an “Ambassador” approach like the Blue Suede Brigade in which officers also provide mobility information.

»»

Clearly communicate enforcement goals and policies on the city website.

»»

Review citation data to identify key trends. Define new metrics and benchmarks for enforcement, including: ◦◦ Citations by type/block/zone/facility ◦◦ Complaints and appeals requested and won by block/zone/ facility/issuing officer ◦◦ Scofflaws cited and collection rate

»»

Increase parking fines to ensure compliance.

»»

Ensure that the City has legal authority to tow and/or boot vehicles. This is a measure of last resort, but should be an option available to the City.

REIMAGINE THE DPA AS THE DMA

UTILIZE EXISTING PARKING FIRST

BUILD NEW PARKING SPARINGLY AND STRATEGICALLY

5. ADD AN AFFORDABLE PARKING PROGRAM FOR LOWER-WAGE DOWNTOWN EMPLOYEES

SUBAREAS: Downtown Core, South Main, Civic Center, The Edge, Medical District Expanding access to available off-street parking for employees of hotels, restaurants, and sports/music venues is crucial to ongoing Downtown success. The City of Memphis has already provided discounted rates at select garages. The City should add an affordable parking program. Specific recommendations include: »»

Identify and secure participation from underutilized parking lots/ garages. Priority locations should be near major commercial, retail, or entertainment corridors and neighborhoods. ◦◦ Initial expansion plans may focus on city or government parking facilities with low evening and nighttime use.

»»

Authorize financial resources to support program initiation, ongoing marketing, and technology to streamline permit administration.

»»

Charge for monthly permits, which will likely need to vary by facility depending on demand, convenience, and operating costs. Permit costs should offer a significant discount relative to nearby rates.

»»

Require or negotiate upgrades to participating facilities to ensure convenient payment, access, and user safety.

»»

Market the program to ensure participation by both employees and property owners. Potential approaches include: projectspecific website, project-specific collateral, coordination with DMC, press releases, and door-to-door outreach to employers.

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: PRIORITY:

COST: $ IMPACT:

TIME:

Challenge Access to jobs is crucial to Downtown’s vitality. Improving overall mobility choices for employees is a fundamental tenet of this plan, as it will help reduce overall congestion and improve parking availability. However, many employees need to continue to drive Downtown and will need a place to park. While some employees have access to off-street parking, many do not, especially in the service and construction industries. As a result, many employees take their chances parking on the street, hoping to not get a ticket or moving their car every few hours. This creates congestion and limits on-street access for customers and visitors. Case Study: Austin, Texas The Afiordable Parking Program is a partnership between the City and the Downtown Austin Alliance aimed at reducing economic barriers for service and entertainment industry employees working downtown . Employees can park at afiordable monthly rates weekdays as early as 3 PM, stay as late as 7 AM, and park up to 24 hours during the weekend, depending on the participating garage . Employees enroll at a single facility, agreeing to a monthly rate and available hours that are speciffc to that facility .

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

REIMAGINE THE DPA AS THE DMA

UTILIZE EXISTING PARKING FIRST

BUILD NEW PARKING SPARINGLY AND STRATEGICALLY

6. PILOT A SHARED PARKING PROGRAM AND FACILITATE SHARED OFF-STREET PARKING

SUBAREAS: Downtown Core, South Main, The Pinch/St. Jude, Civic Center, The Edge, Medical District If even 10% of the fully or partially reserved off-street spaces could be converted for a portion of the day, that would place more than 4,000 existing spaces into the “public” system, at a fraction of the cost of new construction. Pilot a shared parking program in which the DPA/ DMA’s mobile-payment system is made accessible to private-lot owners, to encourage shared/public use of lots with off-hour excess capacity. »»

Engage private owners about this opportunity to monetize their off-hour parking capacities, by coordinating with DPA/DMA and a pay-by-phone vendor.

»»

Owners can set public hours, determine parking rates, and maintain their current lot-enforcement approach.

»»

Mobile-payment vendors will provide signage, with pricing and lot identification for payments, and facilitate payment and revenue flows back to lot owners.

Alternatively, or via complementary pilot, engage willing property owners and develop shared parking agreements in which: »»

The City or DPA/DMA would directly lease parking from a private facility for use as public parking.

»»

The entire facility, or a portion of the facility, would be open for public use. Public use could be restricted to certain hours/days, depending on tenant needs.

»»

To incentivize participation, the City or other entity would collect revenue during the “public” hours. Any net revenue could also be shared as part of the agreement. Ongoing data collection should be required to facilitate performance-based management of the Downtown system.

Some private property owners may support sharing all or a portion of their parking, but would prefer to share with other private entities, such as a specific company, and have a third-party operator manage their parking. This type of agreement should also be encouraged, as it further supports more efficient use of available parking. Proactively offer ongoing technical assistance to both parties to support private-to-public or private-to-private agreements. Potential elements of a technical assistance program could include:

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: PRIORITY:

COST: $ IMPACT:

TIME:

Challenge Only 36% of Downtown Memphis’ 64,000 off-street spaces are “public” at all times. One in three spaces is not open to the general public at any time. Many of these restricted spaces often sit empty even when it is busy Downtown. Property owners are currently hesitant to open up their parking to the public due to legitimate concerns about liability, maintenance, loss of revenue, or impacts to tenants. The lack of easily accessible public parking has resulted in an ongoing cycle. Property owners and developers respond to parking challenges by “reserving” more and more parking for their specific tenants and then leave those spaces unused even when their tenants are not parking. This fragmentation creates confusion and dissatisfaction with the overall parking system. »»

Parking database to connect parties to each other

»»

Educational materials about benefits

»»

Marketing materials

»»

Sample language and agreements

»»

Cost and revenue sharing information

»»

Facility infrastructure, including baseline technology/ receipt requirements

»»

Payment technology options

»»

Wayfinding and signage standards

»»

Insurance and liability information

»»

Zoning/property rights retainage

»»

Precedents, including reasonable comparables within Memphis

Why Share Parking? Shared parking programs maximize use of existing parking facilities, reduce the overall need for additional parking, help reduce congestion, facilitate more walkable, safe, and active downtowns, and ensure more efficient use of public dollars. Shared parking is crucial to creating a vibrant, multimodal Downtown. Different land uses have different peak parking demands. Allowing a daytime office building, for example, to share its parking at night with the nearby restaurant allows less parking to be built than if the restaurant had to construct its own parking. The outcome is less land dedicated to parking. Shared parking benefits multiple groups. First, allowing less parking to be built saves up to $25,000 per space in construction costs for developers. Cheaper development costs then facilitate lower sale or lease costs for would-be homeowners, renters, or office tenants. Second, well-crafted shared parking agreements can allow property owners to recognize significantly more return per space on their investment. Third, shared parking is the only way to make most small Downtown parcels viable for development. Memphis’ true economic potential will only be unlocked when it can provide an easily accessible pool of shared, public parking. Finally, shared parking will better enable growth without exacerbating congestion problems. Building reserved parking for every use results in system inefficiencies and will ultimately induce more vehicle trips on Downtown streets. Code Language Example: Arlington County, VA Parking spaces in C, C-O, M, RA-H or R-C districts that are required by this zoning ordinance may be used by persons other than persons engaging in uses on the site, provided that said spaces shall be made available at all times to persons engaging in uses on the site at least at the same rates as to persons not engaging in uses on the site, and provided that there is no demand for said spaces by persons engaging in uses on the site.

Case Study: ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA

Drivers in downtown Asheville can pay for the City’s on-street parking using the Passport Parking App. Signage denotes the parking zone and provides instructions to pay for parking using a cell phone. If users do not have a smartphone, they can still pay using their phone by calling a number and specifying the zone or by texting a code (after registration).

Recently, private lot owners approached Passport, the third-party provider of Asheville’s parking app, to become part of the same payment system. Passport assigns the lot a “Zone,” and incorporates the lot into the app with the other Asheville parking resources. The lot owner posts signage describing the rates and regulations for the lot (see Figure 4). Some lots maintain their private parking for periods of the day and convert to public parking in off-hours. Others operate as privately-owned, public parking throughout the entire day. Either way, private lot owners are able to take advantage of the city’s easy-touse parking system without giving up control of the lot itself. Asheville provides an example for Memphis. The City and/or the DPA/ DMA may not need to spend many marketing resources to convince private lot owners to make use of payby-cell programs that are already in use in Memphis. Sometimes, the ease and simplicity offered by the app is enough of an incentive to motivate lot owners to seek out participation themselves.

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

REIMAGINE THE DPA AS THE DMA

UTILIZE EXISTING PARKING FIRST

BUILD NEW PARKING SPARINGLY AND STRATEGICALLY

7. DYNAMICALLY REGULATE CURB ACCESS TO MAINTAIN FLEXIBILITY AND MANAGE ON-STREET PARKING AND LOADING DEMAND

SUBAREAS: Downtown Core, South Main, The Pinch/St. Jude, Civic Center, The Edge, Medical District The primary goal is to increase access and convenience for those looking for short-term on-street parking. In addition, on-street parking can act as a physical buffer, improving comfort and safety for pedestrians. Create a database and tool to enable dynamic understanding of inventory and regulations. A digital version of the parking inventory (created in-house or via a third-party vendor) might include: »»

Canvassing Downtown to digitally record on-the-ground parking inventory, signage, and regulations

»»

An online interface to easily access and update parking information

»»

Staff training and understanding to be able to update and maintain the database in the field

»»

Integration with existing work order processes, so that changes update automatically

»»

Integration into complementary platforms providing real-time parking availability information

»»

Sharing of non-proprietary data to facilitate third-party use and dissemination of parking data

Review and calibrate loading zone distribution. The City should use its updated inventory to determine what percentage of businesses have access to an on-street loading zone by time of day. The City can update on-street regulations to ensure equal distribution and mitigate loading hot spots (i.e., event and sports loading) by location and time. Continue to encourage and enhance valet parking. Ensure consistent regulations among providers. Evaluate a universal valet program. Universal valet services allow motorists to drop their vehicle off at one stand and pick up at any other stand in the area. Link valet rates to a performance-based system. The City should not set private valet rates, but it could offer incentives, such as reduced permitting fees, if prices reflect performance-based management.

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: PRIORITY:

COST: $$ IMPACT:

TIME:

Challenge On-street spaces are in high demand, yet they make up only about 10% of the Downtown parking supply. The vast majority of this parking is located in the Medical District/ Downtown Core/the Edge districts. The City has taken steps to specifically demarcate on-street parking, yet it is inconsistently applied. Many parkers know that on certain blocks they can escape the time limits, while others struggle to figure out where they can park, for how long, and when. Some streets allow on-street parking, but there are no pavement markings. Inconsistent markings can create confusion and system inefficiency, particularly when demand is at its highest. Managing Memphis’ on-street curb regulations flexibly can support access for many uses, including events. Case Study: Seattle, Washington A comprehensive inventory of onstreet spaces and regulations enabled Seattle to assess different future parking scenarios and their impacts on loading access in downtown.

Develop or update design guidelines to expand the supply of on-street parking spaces where appropriate. Develop design standards based upon a typology of street types using surrounding land uses, transit frequency, street width, prevailing traffic speed, safety concerns, and traffic volumes. Any addition of parking, adjustments to lanes, or conversion to parallel/angled parking should carefully consider each street’s function and each location’s unique characteristics to ensure that the changes support safe travel for all modes.

Case Study: Austin, Texas Observations over a 24-hour period on one block of 6th Street in downtown Austin show widespread violation of the two-hour time limits.

For example, the provision of angled parking may not be appropriate on high-volume or high-speed arterials, or on major bicycle corridors, as drivers backing out have reduced sightlines. Identify locations for expanding on-street supply. Corridors suitable for design changes include those with high levels of commercial/ retail activity and visitor demand and those due for repaving or utility construction. Reclaim curbside parking capacity from excess or disused curb-cuts. »»

Work with property owners to remove disused and redundant driveways, and potentially to reduce widths of overly wide driveways, to recapture curbside parking capacity.

Communicate the program through effective outreach and messaging. Some cities effectively communicate a system of colored curbsides and their associated restrictions with a simplified brochure and online campaign. Phase installation of pavement markings into an ongoing maintenance program. Ensure that curb space markings clearly communicate the parking system to users. Some blocks that currently allow on-street parking lack pavement markings for parking spaces. Additionally, blocks with restricted parking (i.e., bus stops or commercial loading) can all be painted in a “hot” color, such as red or yellow.

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

REIMAGINE THE DPA AS THE DMA

UTILIZE EXISTING PARKING FIRST

BUILD NEW PARKING SPARINGLY AND STRATEGICALLY

8. REQUIRE PROVISION AND ENFORCEMENT OF TRANSPORTATION DEMAND MANAGEMENT (TDM) FOR ALL NEW DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT ABOVE A CERTAIN SIZE

SUBAREAS: Downtown Core, South Main, The Pinch/St. Jude, South City, The Edge, Medical District This recommendation offers high-level concepts to be evaluated in the context of the Zoning Code and the Downtown Master Plan. Establish minimum required TDM elements for all new development in Downtown. TDM requirements, supported by ongoing monitoring, can improve mobility choices and reduce parking demand. Requirements should vary across Downtown to account for differences in land use mix, density, and multimodal access. Potential elements include: »»

Transportation Management Association (TMA) membership ––

Ongoing operational funding for a Transportation Management Association.

»»

On-site transportation coordinator to implement programs, market services, and coordinate with the TMA

»»

Pre-tax commuter benefits for employees

»»

“Unbundling” of parking from residential and commercial leases

»»

Full or partial subsidies for car share and bike share

»»

On-site bike repair stations, showers, and lockers

»»

Subsidized ridesharing and priority rideshare parking

»»

Individualized marketing (i.e., Smart Trips Program)

»»

Monitoring, reporting, and enforcement of parking and employee mobility metrics (i.e., travel mode to work)

Prioritize additional TDM measures as part of trip mitigation requirements. If a project will generate significant new vehicle trips, TDM strategies should be prioritized to mitigate traffic impacts. In addition to the elements described above, some of the more common and effective TDM programs include: »»

Parking pricing and performance-based management

»»

Parking cash-out program, where employers who pay for employee parking also offer an equivalent cash payment to employees who do not drive

»»

Rideshare matching service

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Downtown Memphis Parking Study

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: PRIORITY:

COST: $ IMPACT:

TIME:

Challenge In order to achieve its multimodal vision and reduce congestion while embracing growth, the DMA, the City and its partners should enhance mobility choices for employees, residents, and visitors in new development projects. The existing Zoning Code includes several industry best practices related to parking. However, the Code is largely silent on TDM as a policy lever and Downtown Memphis has yet to capitalize on proven programs as a means to incentivize more trips by walking, biking, ridesharing, or transit. Furthermore, most Downtown employers or landlords do not offer mobility services and few are thinking comprehensively about parking or mobility as part of their projects. This is a missed opportunity to improve the parking system and support the Downtown Memphis multimodal vision. »»

Guaranteed ride home program that provides a “back-up” ride to employees who do not drive alone to work when transit, carpool, or bicycle options are no longer possible on specific days.

»»

Subsidized transit pass program

»»

Bike giveaway for employees/tenants who commit to biking to work for a minimum number of days per week or month

»»

Shuttle service, as a means to reduce employee driving, provide additional employee benefits, and increase employee productivity by decreasing the time and effort spent on finding parking.

REIMAGINE THE DPA AS THE DMA

UTILIZE EXISTING PARKING FIRST

BUILD NEW PARKING SPARINGLY AND STRATEGICALLY

9. PLAN FOR LONG-TERM MOBILITY AND PARKING TRENDS

SUBAREAS: Downtown Core, South Main, Civic Center The City should adopt an “Emerging Technologies Policy” that outlines its mobility goals and how they should be applied and integrated into guidelines for emerging technologies, including: Prioritizing high-occupancy trips. Prioritizing new services that facilitate high-occupancy vehicle trips will help to address mobility issues and reduce worsening congestion. Equity in transportation. By putting disadvantaged people at the heart of transportation planning, the City can leverage technologies in service of this goal. Design principles that prioritize people and safety. New vehicle technologies are exciting, yet it is vital that both private and municipal infrastructure continue to prioritize personal safety and access. Design adaptability of parking facilities. New technologies may reduce overall parking demand and change how parking facilities are used. Considerations include: »»

Vehicles that park themselves may require less circulation space as well as less vertical space.

»»

Structured parking design including floor heights, electrical/ cooling/heating systems, and ramp placement are important to consider to ensure flexible adaptation of parking garages.

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: PRIORITY:

COST: $ IMPACT:

TIME:

Challenge Cities nationwide are working to understand how emerging alternatives to private car ownership will impact their mobility systems. Coupled with demographic and mobility trends, these technologies signal a long-term shift to lower rates of vehicle ownership and decreased parking demand. The timing is unknown, but impacts will be profound. For example, Downtown’s roughly 64,000 off-street spaces represent over 520 acres of land, and the 7,500 on-street spaces represent approximately 28 linear miles of curb space. As mobility preferences and behaviors change, how parking assets are used and re-purposed can dramatically alter the character and functionality of Downtown.

Continue to prioritize flexible curb space. One on-street parking space could serve as a drop-off point for many autonomous vehicles that could then go park themselves in a remote, off-street location. Many of the recommendations of this study, such as creating a comprehensive and dynamic inventory of curb space and flexing spaces by time of day, better position the City to more easily accommodate future advances in transportation technology. Support ride hailing companies that fill mobility gaps and meet citywide goals. Given that most cars sit idle, ride hailing can be a more efficient use of vehicle capacity. Ride hailing can also reduce demand for parking and therefore provide an important service to Downtown. The City should support those services that meet City standards and support the overall goals for Downtown.

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REIMAGINE THE DPA AS THE DMA

UTILIZE EXISTING PARKING FIRST

BUILD NEW PARKING SPARINGLY AND STRATEGICALLY

10. STRATEGICALLY INVEST IN PUBLIC AND SHARED PARKING SUPPLY IN KEY LOCATIONS

SUBAREAS: Downtown Core, South Main, Civic Center, The Edge

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: PRIORITY:

Parking can be a catalyst for new development that helps unlock investment through shared parking and mixed-use projects

Available parking is a huge factor in attracting and retaining employees Downtown. Existing Downtown employers want to grow and expand but are finding it difficult to make the case and support parking for their employees.

This recommendation comes with several points of emphasis: This study has identified that even during existing peak demand, many parking spaces are available. However, drivers either cannot access them or are not aware that they exist. Memphis currently has a parking management problem—adding more parking, especially more “private” spaces that are not accessible to the public, will only exacerbate the city’s current dilemma.

»»

Recommendations are prioritized to address current issues related to on-street demand and time-limit violations, confusing signage, and fragmented technology and payment systems.

»»

The modeling analysis associated with this study is a planninglevel exercise. It assumes a robust development program and level of parking demand that may evolve due to macro-level trends, such as overall economic conditions or changes in travel behavior.

»»

While there are no parking minimums in much of Memphis’ Downtown, future development will continue to generate new offstreet parking supply that is needed. As discussed in the earlier recommendations, the City should revise the parking code and facilitate agreements with developers to ensure that new parking supply is shared and publicly available to the greatest degree possible.

»»

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All decisions to build more parking should be evaluated in the context of Memphis’ primary goals to reduce vehicular congestion and improve multimodal travel. While new parking is needed, that parking will also bring more vehicles to Downtown. Solving Downtown congestion is not possible if the status quo approach to off-street parking continues.

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

TIME:

Challenge

Strategically invest in public and shared parking supply in key locations as new development occurs. »»

COST: $$$ IMPACT:

Downtown developers note that parking supply and new construction go hand in hand, since local lenders will not help fund projects without “enough” off-street parking spaces. Most Downtown developers are local and there is a lack of capital from outside of the metro area. As such, it is difficult to build office, retail, or residential space without building new parking on site, even if abundant nearby existing supply is underutilized. The cost of providing this parking is a deterrent to development: it adds up to an extra $0.50 or $1.00 per square foot. With the Downtown market competing with East Memphis rents, many developers are turning to the DMC for assistance with building parking garages. »»

Parking is expensive to build, operate, and maintain. For example, a 500-space parking garage would cost the DPA/DMA almost $10 million to build and $29 million to maintain over its lifetime. Given these costs, new parking construction should be evaluated relative to the cost-effectiveness of the other recommendations designed to improve overall management, enhance mobility, and reduce demand for parking.

Specific locations for new parking supply have not been identified as part of this study. The parking investment mapping tool should be used as a guide.

Adopt and pursue a policy that identifies specific objectives for any publicly funded development of off-street parking. 1. Parking Pays for Itself: Publicly funded parking should pay for itself through user fees alone through the lifetime of the garage. ◦◦ Recommended Performance Target: Maintain or increase current profitability of the DPA/DMA parking system 2. Parking Enables More Growth: Publicly funded parking development directly facilitates an increasing ratio of private, land-use development value in the immediate area. ◦◦ Recommended Performance Target: A year-to-year increase in the ratio of private-development investment value relative to the cost of public investment in new parking facilities 3. Parking is Increasingly Accessible: Publicly funded parking development increases the balance of public/private parking spaces within the overall Downtown parking supply. ◦◦ Recommended Performance Target: Public parking (municipal and commercial) represents an expanding majority of the overall Downtown parking supply, compared to accessory/ private parking. The first of these objectives is the most important for ensuring costeffective investments in parking facilities that are free of subsidies from the general public (i.e., paid for through user fees). It is arguably sufficient for this purpose as well, or it has been for the last several decades. The current paradigm shift in urban mobility, however, warrants the additional two objectives, which directly measure the future-proofing effectiveness of potential parking investments. By ensuring that private land use development outpaces public spending on parking, the second objective addresses the futureproofing concern that short-term profitability will trigger overinvestment in parking that proves to be less profitable over time.

By linking current profitability to continued and increasing investments in long-term growth, meeting the suggested performance target will prevent parking investments from getting too far out ahead of future parking needs. The third objective seeks to ensure that parking investments coincide with an overall transition of Downtown parking facilities from private to public resources, thus ensuring that the overall parking system becomes more flexible and responsive to change as the relationship between urban mobility and personal-vehicle parking continues to evolve. Meeting the suggested performance target will ensure that investment in new parking supply coincides with increasing flexibility across all Downtown parking resources.

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

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BIG IDEA

RECOMMENDATIONS

CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN WALKABLE, MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT DOWNTOWN

4 IMPLEMENT A PERFORMANCE-BASED PARKING MANAGEMENT PROGRAM UTILIZE EXISTING PARKING FIRST

Supporting Actor(s)

DPA

City of Memphis, Shelby County, DMC

DMA, MMDC

major employers, MATA

DMC, MMDC

DMA, MMDC, City

DMA, City of Memphis

private facility owners

ADD AN AFFORDABLE PARKING PROGRAM FOR LOWER WAGE DOWNTOWN EMPLOYEES

DMA

private facility operators

PILOT A SHARED PARKING PROGRAM AND FACILITATE SHARED OFF-STREET PARKING

DMA, MMDC

private facility owners, City of Memphis

City of Memphis Engineering Dept.

DMA, State of TN, valet operators

City of Memphis

employers and property managers, DMC

DMA, City of Memphis

TNC operators

DMA

developers, City of Memphis

104

Lead(s)

BUILD NEW PARKING SPARINGLY AND STRATEGICALLY

POTENTIAL PARTNERS

STRATEGICALLY INVEST IN PUBLIC AND SHARED PARKING SUPPLY IN KEY LOCATIONS

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

REC.

PRIORITY

TIME

COST

IMPACT

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY Downtown Core

$$$

• • • • •

Lower priority < 1 year timeline Lower cost Lower impact Low difficulty

• • • • •

Medium priority 1-2 year timeline Medium cost Medium impact Medium difficulty

• • • • •

IMPACTED SUBAREAS South Main

The Pinch/ St. Jude

Civic Center

South End

South City

The Edge

Medical District

Top priority 2+ year timeline High cost High impact High difficulty

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

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RECOMMENDATION #

RECOMMENDATION

Reimagine the Downtown Parking Authority as the Downtown Mobility Authority (DMA)

MAJOR PARTNERS LEAD(S) SUPPORT

STRATEGY Expand and diversify the DPAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s role as a one-stop mobility and parking resource for employers.

DPA

Reinvest parking revenues into Downtown and evaluate allocation of multimodal improvements.

City of Memphis, DMA

Employers

DMC

Coordinate mobility services and programs for Downtown employees.

City of Memphis DMA

Evaluate a Park-N-Ride Intentionally link transit to parking and other transportation modes. or Circulator Shuttle to Improve Transit Connections and Access Evaluate a redesigned park-n-ride or circulator shuttle. to Remote Parking Identify and improve priority walking routes to more remote parking facilities.

Prioritize improvements at vehicle and pedestrian conflict points, notably at parking facility entrances and exits.

Continue to Strengthen Walkable, Mixed-Use Fully fund and implement a wayfinding plan based on outcomes from Development Downtown 2017 enhancements. Coordinate with major Downtown stakeholders. Evaluate incentive programs for private facilities. Ensure that improvements support performance-based program implementation and roll-out of new technology platforms.

106

Public Works

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

DMC/MMDC

DMA

City of Memphis

MATA

DMA

DMA/MMDC

Institutional Stakeholders

City of Memphis

Public Works

DMC/MMDC

City of Memphis

Public Works

DMA

Facility owners

City of Memphis, DMA

DMC

City of Memphis, DMA

DMC/MMDC

City of Memphis, DMA

SHORT-TERM ID additional funding resources for DMC/MMDC/DPA.

PHASED ACTION STEPS MEDIUM-TERM

LONG-TERM

Implement information service improvements.

Develop shared parking agreement resources, including database platform. ID and define priority info and marketing programs and improvements.

Monitor, evaluate, and adjust.

Implement priority website upgrades.

Evaluate website ability. Assess existing allocations of parking revenue.

Refine funding allocation post-implementation of-performance-based pricing

Evaluate potential revenue impacts from performance-based management. Implement priority projects. Evaluate and determine priority investments.

Update financial and expenditure plan.

Evaluate allocation of parking revenue for TDM in context of other priorities.

Implement TDM programs.

Implement expenditure list as feasible. Update financial and expenditure plan.

Monitor, evaluate, and adjust.

Identify desired programs and costs. Examine existing transit linkages to parking and transportation assets.

Initiate pilot program for shared parking resource program.

Monitor, evaluate, and adjust transit based on success.

Implement information service improvements.

Commission a feasibility focus group or hire a consultant to examine circulator opportunities and alternatives.

Finalize design for route(s).

Implement circulator or shuttle service.

Assess and vet alternatives.

Decide on vehicle and operation model based on examined alternatives.

Monitor, evaluate, and adjust routing and operation based on performance.

Identify underutilized and remote parking facilities.

Implement priority improvements.

Continue to identify key facilities and pedestrian routes.

Assess primary pedestrian routes and key destinations.

Continue to identify key facilities and pedestrian routes.

Develop priority improvement lists. Integrate improvements into the City CIP. Identify all conflict points along sidewalks and curb cuts.

Implement improvements as feasible.

Implement improvements as feasible. Continue to identify key facilities and pedestrian routes.

Develop priority improvement lists.

Implement improvements as feasible.

Collaborate with facility owners to implement improvements. Potential vehicle includes shared parking agreements (Rec #6).

Implement improvements as feasible.

Identify funding source for full implementation.

Phase out and remove old signage.

Identify priority locations and owners.

Support implementation of wayfinding upgrades throughout Downtown.

Initiate conversations with major parking holders and the private sector to understand needs and concerns.

Draft and implement new incentive program.

Develop incentive programs.

Phase out and remove old signage.

Confirm technology and signage upgrades.

Implement full wayfinding program to support performance-based management.

Monitor, evaluate, and adjust.

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RECOMMENDATION #

RECOMMENDATION

MAJOR PARTNERS LEAD(S) SUPPORT

STRATEGY Establish boundaries, rates, and regulations by location and time, reflecting patterns of demand.

City of Memphis, DMA

Coordinate with key stakeholders and incentivize private lots and garages to participate in program.

City of Memphis, DMA

Communicate the program through effective outreach and messaging.

DMC/MMDC

City of Memphis - DMA Downtown stakeholders City of Memphis, DMA

Monitor and evaluate parking availability on a regular basis. Adjust rates and regulations on a periodic basis to meet adopted availability targets.

Downtown stakeholders

DMC City of Memphis Private facility owners

DMA Downtown stakeholders

108

Implement a Performance-Based Parking Management Program

City of Memphis

Enhance event management practices to maximize parking system flexibility and predictability.

Promoters Private facility owners

DMC/MMDC Event venues and hotels

Adjust prices via performance-based program to include peak event pricing in high-demand areas. Calibrate prices at a lower rate in more remote areas to balance demand.

City of Memphis , DMA

Define an overall strategy that ensures that technology tools support broader parking and mobility goals.

City of Memphis, DMA

Allocate sufficient resources to parking enforcement.

City of Memphis, DMA

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

State of Tennessee

DMC/MMDC

SHORT-TERM

PHASED ACTION STEPS MEDIUM-TERM

LONG-TERM

Identify program boundaries.

Adjust rates and regulations based on monitoring program.

Evaluate a transition away from use of time limits.

Develop initial rate structure.

Evaluate minimum and maximum rates, and rate change increments.

Adjust rates and regulations based on monitoring program.

Continue to meet and engage with key stakeholders.

Identify all relevant stakeholders and willing private lot/garage owners. Identify mutually supportive actions, such as shared parking agreements Develop program â&#x20AC;&#x153;brandâ&#x20AC;? and refine key messages.

Conduct ongoing workshops, with marketing "push" immediately prior Continue to refine key messages and materials. to program roll out.

Develop marketing collateral.

Distribute program materials and implement communication campaign across all available platforms.

Continue with education/outreach, especially during peak periods and special events.

Conduct an audit of existing system reports and procedures.

Implement monitoring of new metrics and benchmarks.

Adjust performance metrics as needed.

Define new metrics and benchmarks.

Make data open source and share

Adjust monitoring, tracking, and reporting procedures.

Define new data collection methodologies and processes.

Within first six months, report to City with key findings.

Develop and issue annual State of Downtown Parking Report.

Collaborate with private off-street operators to require or incentivize reporting of occupancy data.

Develop and publish first State of Downtown Parking Report. Post on website and present to City.

Develop templates for quarterly and annual reporting.

Initiate rate and regulation adjustment procedures.

Explore approach to temporary signage and meter bagging. Evaluate more dynamic, less admin-heavy systems.

Enhance any signage requirements as part of event permitting process.

Monitor and evaluate.

Identify facilities that have advance purchase capabilities.

Implement cost-sharing approach for meter bagging and signage administration.

Pursue permanent installation of dynamic wayfinding signage in frequently used areas.

Work with vendors and off-street facilities to pilot advance parking purchases.

Pursue and implement dynamic event signage program.

Standardize advance purchasing through a centralized database if possible.

Determine event pricing rates.

Implement event pricing rates.

Monitor and adjust rates.

Adopt official policy and guidelines for IT.

Conduct periodic review of technology systems.

Conduct review of existing platforms.

Integrate goals and policies into new contracts and RFPs.

Assess existing contracts and RFP language.

Implement pilot advance purchase program and online reservation systems.

Identify and test pilot program for off-street reservations.

Continue to fund priority IT upgrade and integration.

Draft and adopt official enforcement policies. Conduct assessment of staffing needs and opportunities.

Monitor, evaluate, and adjust.

Establish enhanced training classes for enforcement staff.

Define new metrics and benchmarks for enforcement. Define and formalize enforcement procedures for staff, prioritizing an "Ambassador" approach.

Continue with rate and regulation adjustment procedures to achieve target availability goals.

Monitor, evaluate, report, and revise. Adjust routing and staffing for performance-based program.

Review and evaluate citation rates and towing authority.

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RECOMMENDATION # 5

RECOMMENDATION Add an Affordable Parking Program for Downtown Employees

MAJOR PARTNERS LEAD(S) SUPPORT

STRATEGY Add an Affordable Parking Program for Downtown Employees.

DMA

Private facility owners City of Memphis

Pilot A Shared Parking Program and Facilitate Shared Off-Street Parking

Beale Street business owners & employers

Pilot a shared parking program in which City manages private parking as â&#x20AC;&#x153;publicâ&#x20AC;? parking.

DMC/MMDC, DMA

DMA Property owners Employers DMA

Provide technical assistance to better facilitate shared parking.

DMC/MMDC, DMA Employers DMC

Create a database and tool to enable dynamic understanding of on-street inventory and regulations.

City of Memphis, DMA

Review and revise loading zones and loading permit program.

City of Memphis, DMA

Third-party vendors DMC DMC

110

Dynamically Regulate Curb Access to Maintain Flexibility and Manage On-Street Parking and Loading Demand

Continue to encourage valet parking. Ensure consistent regulations among providers.

City of Memphis, DMA

Develop or update design guidelines to expand the supply of onstreet parking spaces-where feasible and appropriate.

City of Memphis

State of Tennessee

Identify locations for expanding on-street supply.

City of Memphis

State of Tennessee

Add pavement markings and re-paint curbs for all new and current spaces.

City of Memphis

State of Tennessee

Phase addition of pavement markings into ongoing maintenance program. Ensure that curb space markings clearly communicate the parking system to users.

City of Memphis

State of Tennessee

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

Valet operators

SHORT-TERM

PHASED ACTION STEPS MEDIUM-TERM

LONG-TERM

Secure agreements with property owners.

Expand program to priority areas, emphasizing nighttime employees.

Expand and adjust program as feasible.

Establish annual monitoring effort for program.

Identify candidate facilities for daytime participation.

Monitor and evaluate.

Identify priority areas.

Launch pilot program.

Monitor and evaluate.

Secure funding to initiate program.

Market and communicate program.

Develop a shared parking agreement template, with options for typical issues.

Monitor and evaluate.

Negotiate and secure participation in priority locations.

Modify and expand program as feasible.

Conduct outreach to property owners, employers, and parking operators.

Conduct ongoing outreach to other property owners.

Create shared parking library and toolkit, including shared parking database.

Modify and expand program as feasible.

Monitor and evaluate. Modify and expand program as feasible.

Launch and market technical assistance program. Evaluate capacity for database management. Conduct database synthesis and testing.

Conduct public on-street inventory and integrate with other technologies such as real-time availability or event management systems.

Evaluate Loading Permit program.

Potentially relocate and/or update regulations of loading zones to ensure equal distribution.

Consider phase out or shift of loading permit program to events only.

Conduct comprehensive review and inventory of valet operators and locations.

Consider implementation of a universal valet program.

Assess modifications to valet requirements and licensure process.

Integrate valet inventory with curbside inventory to efficiently place valet spaces.

Monitor and update on-street spaces dedicated to valet as necessary.

Research and engage vendors via an RFP for dynamic inventory platforms (if necessary).

Meet with valet operators and determine needs/markets served. Determine areas that may benefit from valet service. Create a valet plan for events. Draft new code language, as necessary. Determine appropriate design treatments and specifications.

Incorporate or add on-street spaces into future streetscape designs.

Revise design guidelines and on-street parking ordinances accordingly (if necessary).

Implement priority improvements.

Collaborate with stakeholders to identify priority locations where on-street parking could be expanded.

Develop communication materials and integrate them into parking outreach materials.

Integrate improvements into CIP and/or repaving/repainting schedule.

Monitor utilization and performance of improvements.

Modify, adjust, and expand program as feasible.

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RECOMMENDATION #

RECOMMENDATION

Require Provision and Enforcement of Transportation Demand Management (TDM) for All New Downtown Development above a Certain Size

Plan for Long-Term Mobility and Parking Trends

MAJOR PARTNERS LEAD(S) SUPPORT

STRATEGY Support efforts to require the provision of TDM programs for new development.

City of Memphis

Revise the zoning code to better support walkable, mixed-use development within the Downtown study area.

City of Memphis

Establish minimum required TDM elements for all new development in Downtown.

City of Memphis

DMC

Require additional TDM measures to mitigate a projectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s excessive trips or vehicle miles traveled.

City of Memphis

Employers

DMC/MMDC

DMC Developers

Provide flexible policies and guidelines for new technologies.

DMA

Continue to prioritize a flexible curb.

valet operators City of Memphis

Support transportation network companies (TNCs) that fill mobility gaps and meet citywide goals.

DMA DMC/MMDC TNC operators

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Strategically Invest in Public and Shared Parking Supply in Key Locations

City of Memphis

DMC/MMDC

DMA

Developers

Strategically invest in public and shared parking supply in key locations.

Downtown Memphis Parking Study

SHORT-TERM Develop key TDM requirements, including thresholds and baseline measures.

PHASED ACTION STEPS MEDIUM-TERM

LONG-TERM

Implement TDM requirements across Downtown.

Monitor, evaluate, and adjust, with focus on baseline programs and employer thresholds.

Build TMA capacity and resources. Draft and approve zoning changes and legislation.

Monitor, evaluate, and adjust.

Establish ongoing dialogue with Downtown Master Plan and other City staff to coordinate TDM/zoning recommendations.

Implement ordinance(s) and initiate program review.

Revise ordinance and parameters as needed.

Draft, review, and approve ordinance. Establish ongoing dialogue with Downtown Master Plan and other City staff to coordinate TDM/zoning recommendations.

Integrate TDM review as part of development approval process. Revise ordinance and parameters as needed.

Evaluate peer models.

Implement TDM ordinance and initiate program review.

Confirm program parameters, including size thresholds, minimum program requirements, geographic variations, and monitoring requirements.

Revise ordinance and parameters as needed.

Evaluate expansion of program to other parts of city.

Draft, review, and approve ordinance. Draft and adopt policy statement from City Council supporting key principles, goals, and guidelines for emerging technologies.

Facilitate implementation and integration of services and technologies.

Review policy statement and processes, and revise as necessary.

Create comprehensive inventory of curbside regulations.

Analyze active loading (i.e., valet, loading zones) distribution.

Adjust active loading zones as necessary.

Discuss role of TNCs with DMA.

Meet with and engage key stakeholders.

Identify on-street spaces to dedicate for taxi and TNC loading if appropriate.

Identify goals of Memphis 3.0 Plan and other citywide initiatives that apply to this industry.

Pursue new or enhanced policies to support evolving TNC operations in Memphis and ensure that their effect is positive for all populations.

Establish database, methodology, and approach to consistently update and refine land use information, including planned and proposed projects.

Monitor impacts of Recommendations #1-18 on parking demand and system effectiveness.

Revisit policies if necessary. Monitor and report on TNC use and impacts. Add new supply as needed, prioritizing: public/ shared, coordinated management, technology investments, and strong design.

Invest in shared parking analysis tools to enable ongoing discussion Track new and proposed development and update database of new supply as development occurs. and tools periodically. Support implementation of key recommendations to improve use of existing supply, maximize shared parking, and reduce overall parking demand.

Identify and secure potential funding mechanisms for new supply.

Monitor, evaluate, and adjust.

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7 PARKING INVESTMENT DECISION PROCESS AND IMPLEMENTATION

Decision-making framework of how to best invest in public parking resources to achieve availability goals, stimulate spinoff development, and improve overall mobility in Downtown Memphis

WHERE TO BUILD NEW PARKING RESOURCES? WHERE TO BUILD NEW PARKING RESOURCES? Enhancements in parking supply can be a catalyst for new development that helps unlock private investment through shared parking for mixed-use projects. Existing Downtown employers want to grow and expand, and new businesses want to move Downtown but are finding it difficult to make the financial case and support parking for their employees. Available and low cost, if not free, parking is a huge factor in attracting and retaining employees Downtown. However, parking is expensive to build, operate, and maintain. The cost of providing parking for employees is a deterrent to attracting development: parking adds up to an extra $0.50 or $1.00 per square foot in Downtown Memphis. With the Downtown market competing with East Memphis rents, many developers are turning to the DMC for financial assistance to build parking garages. For the City of Memphis and the DPA/DMA to strategically invest in public and shared parking supply as new development occurs, a clear decision process can highlight priority locations for investment and help determine whether a request for funding assistance related to parking is an appropriate use of DMC funds. The DPA/DMA can then plan and develop parking in strategic locations holistically, rather than wait and respond to individual developer requests. The proposed parking investment tool is structured to enable the direct comparison of projects competing for DPA/DMA funding and – through the use of a heatmap identifying hotspots of high-value parking – to provide a general indication of where the DPA/DMA would be most receptive to funding of additional parking supply.

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A low-score threshold can be established by applying the tool to past projects that are deemed successful. If proposed projects do not at least match this threshold, they will not receive further public investment interest.

STRATEGIC CONCERNS All decisions to build more parking with public funding should be evaluated in the context of Downtown Memphis’ primary goals to ensure economic vitality, reduce congestion, retain current employers, and attract new employers.

RELATIVE VALUE OF THE SITE New parking facilities should be coordinated with private development, and not built speculatively. Publicly funded parking should pay for itself by charging for hourly or daily use. In strategic locations where additional public parking may be warranted, nearby demand patterns (weekday and weekend evening parking utilization), as well as daily or monthly parking rates, indicate that current supply is not meeting demand. Averages can be constructed from commercial and DPA/DMA facilities for the full block of proposed development site, or the three closest facilities in all directions from the project parcels if there are not three facilities on site. Higher private rates than public rates and higher occupancy rates boost the relative value of the site.

Data to Routinely Collect »»

Average Hourly Parking Rate

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Average Monthly Parking Rate

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Weekday Occupancy Average

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Weekend Evening Occupancy Average

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Average DPA-owned Hourly Parking Rate

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Average DPA-owned Monthly Parking Rate

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Weekly Space-Hours of Public Parking of the Proposed Garage

Combining all measures of demand into an aggregate metric can generate a heat map of where the DPA/DMA would consider funding new parking. The resulting score enables the comparison of competing projects asking for DPA/ DMA support. The higher the score the more competitive the project. In these identified hotspots, however, the DMA/ DPA should first pursue the establishment of shared parking agreements to increase the supply of publicly available parking before allocating funds to construction. Factoring in how much of the overall capacity will consist of public parking, measured as space-hours will indicate where publicly accessible parking is under-supplied and new spaces will help fill a void. Public parking provision should not be funded to inspire tenants to relocate within Downtown Memphis, especially from the core to more outlying subareas, and the metric will be higher when pricing and occupancy reflect higher demand in a central location.

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PUBLIC COST AND PUBLIC PARKING CAPACITY GAINED All new supply funded, at least in part, by public funding must include public access. The goal of funding parking supply is to strive for additional public parking capacity in strategic locations where demand is high. The overall parking system will become more flexible and responsive to change if public parking (DPA/DMA and commercial) represents an expanding majority of the overall Downtown parking supply, compared to accessory/private parking – especially as urban mobility and parking trends evolve. Comparing the capital cost and lifetime operating cost to the weekly space-hours of public parking presents a cost/benefit score that can be compared between competing projects. The lower the score the more competitive the project. Data to Routinely Collect »»

Capital Cost to the DPA

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Lifetime Operating Cost to the DPA

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Weekly Space-Hours of Public Parking of the Proposed Garage

ECONOMIC SPINOFF BENEFITS Publicly funded parking should directly facilitate an increasing ratio of private, land-use development value in the immediate area. New parking supply funded by the DPA/DMA should be coordinated with private development and not done purely speculatively. Public parking provision should not be funded to inspire tenants to relocate within Downtown Memphis, especially from the core to more outlying study subareas. Measuring the direct and indirect private investment unlocked through public funding can ensure that development interest is funneled into revitalizing areas Downtown. Measuring expected indirect development investment can be difficult, however adjacent parcels and blocks can be opened up to development through the use of shared parking on the direct project site. By ensuring that private land use development outpaces public spending on parking, the economic benefits metric addresses the concern that short-term profitability or hotspots generated by the relative value metric will trigger over-investment in parking that proves to be less profitable over time. The economic spinoff benefits score enables the comparison of competing projects. The higher the score, the more competitive the project. Data to Routinely Collect

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Capital Cost to the DPA

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Lifetime Operating Cost to the DPA

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Direct Development Investment

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Expected Indirect Development Investment

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