vision2020@moscow.com: Re: pieces of the puzzle

Re: pieces of the puzzle

Gens Johnson (gens@moscow.com)
Fri, 12 Apr 1996 09:52:44 -0800

So it seems that re-development downtown is stymied until parking is
addressed. That really _does_ suggest that our tiny bit of urban blight is
going to expand over time towards downtown unless...

...Something is done about it.

How many people who work downtown drive to work? live in Moscow? How many
have no choice but to drive in? If we focus on parking for existing (and
projected) employees, will this free up adequate parking for customers?
Are the undeveloped lots just north of "downtown" too far away for parking?
(I'm thinking of the lot behind Palouse Country Sports.) Are there other
pieces of property near the core that are for sale that would have a lower
demolition cost than what has been mentioned here?

I'm reminded of the Amory Lovins response to the higher costs of generating
electrical power that hit in the 70's: Rather than build more high cost
generating facilities, pay consumers to conserve. The payment per unit to
the consumer was less than the per unit cost of newly generated power. So
for parking, you might _pay_ downtown workers to park in a slightly less
convenient parking facility or To-Not-Drive-a Car-to-Work, so as to free up
more convenient downtown parking. Would public transportation $$$ be
available for a scheme like this?

How about a series of forums on the parking/downtown blight (!) topic?

Gens


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