TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY BOARD AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Approve the recommendation to amend the existing valet parking ordinance
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DEPARTMENT: Transportation, Engineering and Development
SUBMITTED BY: Michael Prousa, Transportation Manager
BACKGROUND:
City Council approved Ordinance 03-178 in August 2003 establishing regulations to provide for safe operation of valet parking services in the downtown. Once a valet parking permit application is submitted, staff prepares a recommendation for an appropriate valet transfer zone. Valet parking permit applications and valet transfer zone locations require City Council approval. Both items are reviewed by the Transportation Advisory Board in advance of consideration by the City Council.
DISCUSSION:
Staff has received multiple requests for valet transfer zones on Jefferson Avenue between Main Street and Washington Street. Staff has reviewed and have not recommended valet transfer zones on this block. These requests were not recommended by city staff for the following reasons:
* Eastbound Jefferson Avenue traffic during the evening peak traffic period backs up significantly, occasionally almost back to Main Street. Staff also witnessed motorists trying to exit the parking spaces on Jefferson Avenue with difficulty and delay.
* Jefferson Avenue is a collector street. It serves not only as a main entrance and exit point to the downtown, but also provides connectivity through the downtown due to it being one of the only streets that carries traffic west of downtown over the river. The west leg of the intersection of Jefferson Avenue and Washington Street is more congested than the east leg due to parking being permitted on both sides of the street and the pedestrian activity at the midblock crossings.
* Pedestrian conflicts could occur with a transfer zone being within close proximity of midblock and intersection crosswalks.
Currently, Washington Street is the only street within the downtown that is r...
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