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abra8951@uidaho.edu
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On Mon, 15 Apr 1996, Kenton wrote:
> If Main Street is the "front" of downtown, "behind" are Washington and
> Jackson Streets. And I think Moscow has done a good job of developing
> parking in those areas -- especially along Jackson Street.
> The main parking "problem" downtown is one of perception -- the belief that
> if there isn't a parking space on Main (and in the same block as one's
> destination), there are no parking spaces anywhere.
> In fact, I can almost always find parking spaces within a block of Main
> Street:
> * On the west side of Washington just north of Sixth, near Gart Sports.
> (a good spot for going to the Beanery or Bookpeople).
> * On the north side of Fourth between Washington and Jefferson, just
> south of Third Street Marketplace.
> * On the south side of First between Main and Jackson, by the United
> Church, and on Jackson by First Federal.
> All of these are 3-hour spaces... If I need to leave my car downtown
> all day while catching the bus to Pullman, there are usually spaces on
> First near the Library, on Jackson north of First, and on Almon north
> of the Co-op.
>
> Admittedly, the city and Moscow Downtown Association have missed opportunities
> to expand the off-street parking capacity, like the lot along Washington
> at A where the couplet cuts through the block. (The Corner Club bought that
> property from the state for a song... the city didn't bid on it, I'm told.)
> And a downtown parking committee's recommendations for some innovative
> solutions (diagonal parking on 4th and 5th east of Main, making those
> streets one-way) have not been acted upon.
> City enforcement of the three-hour limit has increased the availability
> of spaces downtown, though it hasn't solved the need for employee and
> communter parking.
>
> --Kenton
>