Downtown parking update?

MTO · Post by **MTO** » Fri Sep 04, 2015 3:04 pm

Omaha_corn_burner wrote:It's easy. Just avoid downtown. That's what I do. It's such a hassle for little benefit. Also everything is more expensive downtown.

Is this supposed to be satire?

Post by **BRoss** » Fri Sep 04, 2015 5:51 pm

Omaha_corn_burner wrote:It's such a hassle for little benefit.

Little benefit? DTO is the funnest and best part of town! The urban setting is worth it alone.

RNcyanide · Post by **RNcyanide** » Fri Sep 04, 2015 5:56 pm

Spaghetti works, rock bottom, and pretty much every other bar downtown are not expensive. The restaurants are medium priced on average, and there's plenty of expensive places out west. Plus, if you know where to look there's free convenient parking outside business hours. I have my secret space and I'm not telling

GetUrban · Post by **GetUrban** » Fri Sep 04, 2015 6:07 pm

Last Friday evening we parked in Omaha Park Four at 10th & Jackson for $1/hr. Went to Plank for dinner. $2 for parking on a Friday night in the Old Market is not bad at all. It was easy to find a spot. I like the new parking plan downtown.

JDJase · Post by **JDJase** » Wed Sep 16, 2015 11:15 am

Changes to go into effect October 13.

http://www.ketv.com/news/stothert-to-an ... s/35300580

The extended hours at meters will run from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Sundays and holidays still free.
The new rates will be as follows:

- 2-hour meters are currently $1/hour and will increase to $1.25/hour.
- 3-hour meters are currently$.75/hour and will increase to $1.25/hour
- 4-hour meters are currently$.50/hour and will increase to $.75 /hour
- Some 10-hour meters which are currently $.25/hour will increase to $.50/hour

Linkin5 · Post by **Linkin5** » Wed Sep 16, 2015 11:18 am

JDJase wrote:Changes to go into effect October 13.

http://www.ketv.com/news/stothert-to-an ... s/35300580

The extended hours at meters will run from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Sundays and holidays still free.
The new rates will be as follows:

- 2-hour meters are currently $1/hour and will increase to $1.25/hour.
- 3-hour meters are currently$.75/hour and will increase to $1.25/hour
- 4-hour meters are currently$.50/hour and will increase to $.75 /hour
- Some 10-hour meters which are currently $.25/hour will increase to $.50/hour

Still concerned this could have a negative impact.

Post by **Coyote** » Wed Sep 16, 2015 11:19 am

What are the boundaries of this new regulation?

JDJase · Post by **JDJase** » Wed Sep 16, 2015 1:31 pm

Coyote wrote:What are the boundaries of this new regulation?

According to the Omaha World Hearld, "the new hours apply everywhere the city has meters."

http://www.omaha.com/news/metro/city-an ... e08fc.html

Omaha_corn_burner · Post by **Omaha_corn_burner** » Wed Sep 16, 2015 2:15 pm

MTO wrote:
Omaha_corn_burner wrote:It's easy. Just avoid downtown. That's what I do. It's such a hassle for little benefit. Also everything is more expensive downtown.
Is this supposed to be satire?

No.

Post by **Brad** » Wed Sep 16, 2015 2:17 pm

They also have a new website http://www.parkomaha.com (which has my photo on it!

).

skinzfan23 · Post by **skinzfan23** » Wed Sep 16, 2015 2:48 pm

Brad wrote:They also have a new website http://www.parkomaha.com (which has my photo on it! ).

Is your photo the one on the main page? How old is that one? The Hyatt Place is still just a dirt hole. Great photo, but it must be a few years old.

Post by **Brad** » Wed Sep 16, 2015 4:50 pm

skinzfan23 wrote:
Brad wrote:They also have a new website http://www.parkomaha.com (which has my photo on it! ).
Is your photo the one on the main page? How old is that one? The Hyatt Place is still just a dirt hole. Great photo, but it must be a few years old.

Its the 2010 photo, but I am not sure why they bought that one, must have had the angle. They bought it before I shot the 2015 photos, but I still have the same photo 2014. I noticed they also removed the CenturyLink Logo too.

Seth · Post by **Seth** » Thu Sep 17, 2015 1:41 pm

Brad wrote:They also have a new website http://www.parkomaha.com (which has my photo on it! ).

The website is a great idea, but doesn't seem to include a lot of the publicly-accessible private garages (e.g. Landmark). If they can get those added in, and publicise it (put some signs around downtown/Old Market and stickers on the meters), I think parking would be a lot easier.

Going one step further, it would be great if Google or another maps provider would start showing parking information. It would take a little coordination, but no more than they already do for public transit, and if cities like Omaha already have a database like parkomaha.com, it wouldn't take much effort at all. For visitors, it would be great if their GPS would suggest parking near their destination.

jessep28 · Post by **jessep28** » Thu Sep 17, 2015 7:31 pm

There are third party parking maps like Parkopedia. I think they are kept current.

Uffda · Post by **Uffda** » Fri Sep 18, 2015 6:36 am

Some City Employees Exempt From New Parking Policy

http://www.scrippsmedia.com/kmtv/news/S ... 26491.html

Maybe they should be told to use their tag to park in the ramps also instead oh metered spot.

Post by **Brad** » Fri Sep 18, 2015 8:50 am

Seth wrote:The website is a great idea, but doesn't seem to include a lot of the publicly-accessible private garages (e.g. Landmark). If they can get those added in, and publicise it (put some signs around downtown/Old Market and stickers on the meters), I think parking would be a lot easier.

I forgot to look the past couple nights, but I will try to check tonight or over the weekend, but I wonder if the private garages show up on the map during non business hours?

Seth · Post by **Seth** » Fri Sep 18, 2015 3:11 pm

Brad wrote:...I wonder if the private garages show up on the map during non business hours?

If that's the case, it's clever, but a poor idea. When I'm planning a visit somewhere, I often check parking out long before (often during work hours). It would be better two show all locations at any time, but have it coded to show red if not currently open, and a pop-up with hours it's open.

iamjacobm · Post by **iamjacobm** » Fri Sep 18, 2015 5:14 pm

Looks like a petition is going around to stop the changes.

Midwestern · Post by **Midwestern** » Fri Sep 18, 2015 6:01 pm

The point of the changes is in no way meant to get increased revenue, so I don't understand why they can't make one or more city garages/lots basically free for a certain amount of hours (3 might be good) after 5:00 PM and on Saturdays.

That way, if you want the on-street parking convenience, yes you will be paying more, but you will also have a cheap/free option as well.

daveoma · Post by **daveoma** » Fri Sep 18, 2015 10:50 pm

iamjacobm wrote:Looks like a petition is going around to stop the changes.

My friend signed it and I wanted to try to change her mind but I decided to save my energy for something else. :-) I really hope Omahans come around to the idea that this means Omaha is a busy city worthy of less than free parking.

mcarch · Post by **mcarch** » Sat Sep 19, 2015 4:52 pm

So I get the idea of having more parking towards the shops. But the thinking is backwards. So instead of everyone parking next to the shop or restaurant they'll be parking in the garage. So all you will have is open parking and less busy streets in front of the shops and restaurants. Tell me how this increases business and WANTING to go downtown? I'd go downtown no matter what, but there are those who wont go because of the amount of people and parking, but its also those people who already DONT park in the garage, so they wouldn't park in the garage anyway.

So in the newspaper/articles they keep talking about the person who drives around looking for a parking spot. So why isn't that person just going to the parking garage? So really, we're making others park in the garage because the lazy person doesn't want to go park in the garage and walk. So once you scare others with higher prices to the garage, the lazy person will park in the spot in front of the shop, add that will all the other lazy people, and those willing to pay the higher price (and Omahans will eventually). So with that, the parking issue will not have solved itself, and fees will just be higher. So what does the higher fees and hours become?

Midwestern · Post by **Midwestern** » Sat Sep 19, 2015 9:51 pm

That's why I think the garages should be either free for a few hours or extremely cheap. The low cost for the garages can end up being subsidized by the higher rates at the parking meters.

It is going to take a gradual shift in the mindset of Omahans before the price of parking downtown can be anywhere close to "big city levels".

I think the reasons most people don't use the garages now comes down to either feeling they are unsafe, not wanting to walk a little bit extra, or simply people being uncomfortable with them because they are not used to parking in parking garages.

That's why we have to get people comfortable with the idea of parking in parking garages downtown.

iamjacobm · Post by **iamjacobm** » Sat Sep 19, 2015 10:07 pm

The purpose of the change is getting long term parkers off of the street and into garages. I am willing to guess that a fairly high number of on street stalls DT are occupied by workers rather than customers. This may or not be the right move, but IMO something needed to be changed. I mentioned before that I think DT parking needs to be dynamic where 16th and NDT are cheap to attract business while OM is priced at a premium b/c it is popular. We should award people trying new districts or that are willing to walk a few blocks.

GetUrban · Post by **GetUrban** » Sat Sep 19, 2015 10:14 pm

The logic behind the new plan makes sense to me.

Before, we had employees grabbing all of the free after-5 meter spots and customers who didn't want to pay the high garage or surface lot prices driving around waiting for a free meter spot to open up.

Now, hopefully the new lower garage prices will attract people to those spaces, which there are more of. The higher priced meter spaces after 5 will discourage employees and even residents from taking those formerly free spots during peak evening hours. I think laziness had very little to do with it.....high price of the garages and surface lots was more of the problem. Although it was pretty sweet to get a free meter spot right in front of a restaurant once in a blue moon. Maybe you'll have more of a chance of getting one now, if you don't mind paying.

Professor Woland · Post by **Professor Woland** » Sat Sep 19, 2015 10:30 pm

GetUrban wrote:The logic behind the new plan makes sense to me.

Before, we had employees grabbing all of the free after-5 meter spots and customers who didn't want to pay the high garage or surface lot prices driving around waiting for a free meter spot to open up.

Now, hopefully the new lower garage prices will attract people to those spaces, which there are more of. The higher priced meter spaces after 5 will discourage employees and even residents from taking those formerly free spots during peak evening hours. I think laziness had very little to do with it.....high price of the garages and surface lots was more of the problem. Although it was pretty sweet to get a free meter spot right in front of a restaurant once in a blue moon. Maybe you'll have more of a chance of getting one now, if you don't mind paying.

There was also the issue of having to have quarters on you. I haven't been downtown in a while, but as I understand it, the new meters will allow multiple forms of payment.

GetUrban · Post by **GetUrban** » Sat Sep 19, 2015 10:47 pm

Agreed, quarters are a pain....glad to see new ways to pay.

iamjacobm · Post by **iamjacobm** » Sat Sep 19, 2015 10:51 pm

Professor Woland wrote:
GetUrban wrote:The logic behind the new plan makes sense to me.

Before, we had employees grabbing all of the free after-5 meter spots and customers who didn't want to pay the high garage or surface lot prices driving around waiting for a free meter spot to open up.

Now, hopefully the new lower garage prices will attract people to those spaces, which there are more of. The higher priced meter spaces after 5 will discourage employees and even residents from taking those formerly free spots during peak evening hours. I think laziness had very little to do with it.....high price of the garages and surface lots was more of the problem. Although it was pretty sweet to get a free meter spot right in front of a restaurant once in a blue moon. Maybe you'll have more of a chance of getting one now, if you don't mind paying.
There was also the issue of having to have quarters on you. I haven't been downtown in a while, but as I understand it, the new meters will allow multiple forms of payment.

Meters have had credit card payment for a while now.

Midwestern · Post by **Midwestern** » Sat Sep 19, 2015 11:07 pm

I guess I didn't realize how big of a problem the workers/residents grabbing up all the on-street parking was. Obviously it makes way more sense for the vitality of downtown for residents and workers to be parking in garages, so whatever makes that happen more is a good first step.

JDJase · Post by **JDJase** » Sat Sep 19, 2015 11:37 pm

mcarch wrote:So I get the idea of having more parking towards the shops. But the thinking is backwards. So instead of everyone parking next to the shop or restaurant they'll be parking in the garage. So all you will have is open parking and less busy streets in front of the shops and restaurants. Tell me how this increases business and WANTING to go downtown? I'd go downtown no matter what, but there are those who wont go because of the amount of people and parking, but its also those people who already DONT park in the garage, so they wouldn't park in the garage anyway.

So in the newspaper/articles they keep talking about the person who drives around looking for a parking spot. So why isn't that person just going to the parking garage? So really, we're making others park in the garage because the lazy person doesn't want to go park in the garage and walk. So once you scare others with higher prices to the garage, the lazy person will park in the spot in front of the shop, add that will all the other lazy people, and those willing to pay the higher price (and Omahans will eventually). So with that, the parking issue will not have solved itself, and fees will just be higher. So what does the higher fees and hours become?

People don't drive around for 20 minutes looking for a parking spot right now because they're "lazy". They, rightfully so, think "why should I pay $5-$10 (under the current rates) for the parking garage when I can find street parking for free?" It's not about laziness for most people. So these changes simply shift the expense - they make the garages (being less desirable as they are generally further away from desired destination) cheaper, while parking on the street near the business (the more desirable spot) is a higher price. This is the most simple concept of a premium product being more expensive than the less desirable product, and I honestly don't understand how people are having such a difficult time grasping such a basic concept.

The current system is what is backwards. If a grocery store is giving out premium USDA Prime NY Strip Steaks for free and charging $10 for chuck, the person who says "everyone is taking the premium steaks and not paying for the chuck just because they're too lazy to cook the chuck!" should be expelled from conducing any form of business forever.

People will park in garages because it's cheaper. Those who really do want to park closer to their destination on the street will now have a better opportunity to do so, for a premium price. The screaming about this is nothing more than "everyone but me is lazy and I deserve free stuff!"

jessep28 · Post by **jessep28** » Sun Sep 20, 2015 12:04 am

The people declaring that they will never visit the Old Market again can join their colleagues who only eat at restaurants in Sarpy County to avoid the restaurant tax.

daveoma · Post by **daveoma** » Sun Sep 20, 2015 12:57 am

mcarch wrote:So I get the idea of having more parking towards the shops. But the thinking is backwards. So instead of everyone parking next to the shop or restaurant they'll be parking in the garage. So all you will have is open parking and less busy streets in front of the shops and restaurants. Tell me how this increases business and WANTING to go downtown? I'd go downtown no matter what, but there are those who wont go because of the amount of people and parking, but its also those people who already DONT park in the garage, so they wouldn't park in the garage anyway.

So in the newspaper/articles they keep talking about the person who drives around looking for a parking spot. So why isn't that person just going to the parking garage? So really, we're making others park in the garage because the lazy person doesn't want to go park in the garage and walk. So once you scare others with higher prices to the garage, the lazy person will park in the spot in front of the shop, add that will all the other lazy people, and those willing to pay the higher price (and Omahans will eventually). So with that, the parking issue will not have solved itself, and fees will just be higher. So what does the higher fees and hours become?

I think a lot of people will quickly pay more for parking and not care too much about the cost. The Old Market and downtown are super popular. You said yourself you will go there anyway. If people park further away, they'll save money, and walk more. Maybe people will go to the Old Market less often, but those of us who know the area well were parking further away because it was almost impossible to find a parking spot along Howard street anyway. I think this system is actually mimicking the capitalist law of supply and demand. The parking in the middle of the Old Market is in high demand, so it makes sense to charge more. If people pay more for the premium parking, then they will have the means to do so.

daveoma · Post by **daveoma** » Sun Sep 20, 2015 1:03 am

jessep28 wrote:The people declaring that they will never visit the Old Market again can join their colleagues who only eat at restaurants in Sarpy County to avoid the restaurant tax.

In my opinion it would take many years for alternate districts to gather the glamour of the Old Market enough to make an impact on its patronage. Even if this occurs, the Old Market will still draw people for special occasions--even from the Suburbs.

Professor Woland · Post by **Professor Woland** » Sun Sep 20, 2015 1:42 am

iamjacobm wrote:
Professor Woland wrote:
GetUrban wrote:The logic behind the new plan makes sense to me.

Before, we had employees grabbing all of the free after-5 meter spots and customers who didn't want to pay the high garage or surface lot prices driving around waiting for a free meter spot to open up.

Now, hopefully the new lower garage prices will attract people to those spaces, which there are more of. The higher priced meter spaces after 5 will discourage employees and even residents from taking those formerly free spots during peak evening hours. I think laziness had very little to do with it.....high price of the garages and surface lots was more of the problem. Although it was pretty sweet to get a free meter spot right in front of a restaurant once in a blue moon. Maybe you'll have more of a chance of getting one now, if you don't mind paying.
There was also the issue of having to have quarters on you. I haven't been downtown in a while, but as I understand it, the new meters will allow multiple forms of payment.
Meters have had credit card payment for a while now.

Goes to show how long it's been since I've been downtown. I generally stick to Dundee and Midtown.

skinzfan23 · Post by **skinzfan23** » Tue Oct 13, 2015 12:18 pm

Any thoughts/ideas for parking for Creighton basketball games? Since there are 18 home games, I am trying to think of the cheapest way to park. The 10 hr meters will be cheapest, but if a game runs long, you wouldn't be able to just walk out and add more money to the meter. They do have a few garages for $1/hr. That might be the best bet.

Is there a free shuttle from Midtown Crossing or Creighton's campus?

Post by **Coyote** » Tue Oct 13, 2015 1:02 pm

Changes in Omaha parking meter hours, rates go into effect today

Omaha World Herald wrote:Beginning today, people will have to pay to park at Omaha meters from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.

Post by **Coyote** » Tue Oct 13, 2015 1:33 pm

Open to public: The Landmark Building parking garage, 12th and Farnam Streets, also will be open to the public evenings and weekends.

Weekday Evenings start at 5 pm here? Are there many spaces available here? How long has this been open?

iamjacobm · Post by **iamjacobm** » Tue Oct 13, 2015 1:36 pm

Coyote wrote:
Open to public: The Landmark Building parking garage, 12th and Farnam Streets, also will be open to the public evenings and weekends.
Weekday Evenings start at 5 pm here? Are there many spaces available here? How long has this been open?

You could always pay to park there during those times I thought?

iamjacobm · Post by **iamjacobm** » Tue Oct 13, 2015 1:36 pm

skinzfan23 wrote:Any thoughts/ideas for parking for Creighton basketball games? Since there are 18 home games, I am trying to think of the cheapest way to park. The 10 hr meters will be cheapest, but if a game runs long, you wouldn't be able to just walk out and add more money to the meter. They do have a few garages for $1/hr. That might be the best bet.

Is there a free shuttle from Midtown Crossing or Creighton's campus?

The meters end at 9 PM so if a game goes long you should be ok right?

skinzfan23 · Post by **skinzfan23** » Tue Oct 13, 2015 3:31 pm

iamjacobm wrote:
skinzfan23 wrote:Any thoughts/ideas for parking for Creighton basketball games? Since there are 18 home games, I am trying to think of the cheapest way to park. The 10 hr meters will be cheapest, but if a game runs long, you wouldn't be able to just walk out and add more money to the meter. They do have a few garages for $1/hr. That might be the best bet.

Is there a free shuttle from Midtown Crossing or Creighton's campus?
The meters end at 9 PM so if a game goes long you should be ok right?

Yeah I guess that would be true, since most of the games begin at 7 or later. Only Saturday afternoon games start earlier and there are only 2 of those that start before 6:30 pm.

skinzfan23 · Post by **skinzfan23** » Tue Oct 13, 2015 3:34 pm

iamjacobm wrote:
Coyote wrote:
Open to public: The Landmark Building parking garage, 12th and Farnam Streets, also will be open to the public evenings and weekends.
Weekday Evenings start at 5 pm here? Are there many spaces available here? How long has this been open?
You could always pay to park there during those times I thought?

Yes the Landmark garage is always open to the public. During the day, there aren't many open spaces since they are mostly used for monthly parking, but there are some. At night and on the weekends most of the garage is available. There are 525 spaces in the Landmark garage, but probably only around 300-400 (at most) are available because so many spots are reserved.