CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
title
Approve the Commuter Parking and Access Work Plan
body
DEPARTMENT: Transportation, Engineering and Development
SUBMITTED BY: Jennifer Louden, Deputy Director
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
N/A
BACKGROUND:
The 5th Avenue Redevelopment project has raised many questions surrounding commuter parking at and access to the Naperville Metra Station. On November 20, 2018, staff presented a report to answer the question raised by City Council of how many additional commuter parking spaces would be needed to reduce the quarterly permit waitlists. During the discussion, City Council expressed concern over the current system operations and indicated additional information is needed before a decision can be made to add more parking spaces.
Based on that feedback, staff conducted a comprehensive review of current commuter parking and access programs. In addition, individual meetings were held with each City Council member to discuss past policy direction pertaining to commuter parking supply, the current commuter parking system and management approach, and operational challenges and concerns.
DISCUSSION:
Staff developed two documents as a result of the program review and discussions with City Council: the Commuter Parking and Access State of the System report (transmitted via the Manager’s Memorandum on May 23, 2019) and a Commuter Parking and Access Work Plan. The attached work plan outlines goals and corresponding tasks to be completed through 2021 to address issues with current commuter programs and to implement system improvements using technology.
Work Plan Goals
The goals and corresponding tasks in the work plan are divided into two categories: Parking Supply and Demand Management and Transit and Multi-Modal Access.
Parking Supply and Demand Management
The primary objectives to be achieved by the goals and corresponding tasks are:
• Increase average occupancy rates of permits spaces.
• Reduce the length of waitlists by creating more permit turnover and reducing factors contributing to secondhand permit transfers.
• Implement technology to more efficiently meet the needs of the commuters.
The work plan includes several goals to meet these objectives:
• Modify the permit holder registration requirements and eliminate the carpool program to eliminate the potential for secondhand permit transfers.
• Regularly audit permit holders to eliminate the potential for secondhand permit transfers.
• Improve permit offer acceptance rates by requiring active account management to discourage people from unnecessarily remaining on the waitlists.
• Encourage permit holders who no longer have a regular commuting need to cancel their permits.
• Encourage higher utilization of the Route 59 Metra Station.
• Implement technology to allow commuters to make space reservations online.
Transit and Multi-Modal Access
The primary objective to be achieved by the goals and corresponding tasks is:
• Make transit use more convenient and appealing.
The work plan includes the following goals to meet this objective:
• Emphasize multi-modal access to the Naperville Metra Station.
• Make Pace Bus more cost competitive.
Work Plan Tasks and Timeline
The tasks are planned for the following general timeline:
• 2019: Reduce factors contributing to abuses of current system, promote Route 59 Station parking availability and Pace Bus opportunities to commuters, and evaluate technology.
• 2020: Evaluate parking fees, further evaluate technology, and conduct a pilot for online reservations.
• 2021: Begin the process to shift quarterly permits to online reservations.
The attached work plan identifies the anticipated approval process for each task. Several of the tasks may be implemented by staff in accordance with the current Commuter Parking Rules and Regulations, while some tasks will require the City Manager to authorize a Rules and Regulations update and others will be brought to the Transportation Advisory Board (TAB) and City Council for consideration prior to implementation. The implementation plan for each task, particularly those planned for 2020 and 2021, will be further developed following approval of the work plan. Due to the unique parking challenges at the Naperville Metra Station, utilizing a parking consultant with national experience to assist with several of the tasks would provide significant value towards achieving the desired objectives.
Details regarding the tasks to be achieved during the remainder of 2019 are attached.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no direct fiscal impact associated with approving the Commuter Parking and Access Work Plan. Work plan items that may result in a fiscal impact will be brought to the City Council for consideration prior to implementation.