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More people parking downtown

Higher rates are not dissuading people from plugging meters

More people are parking in downtown Durango even with the rise in rates.

That was the message from the city’s parking department update Tuesday to the Durango City Council. The presentation covered all aspects of parking operations, including vacancy rates for parking spaces, citation revenue and the use of meters.

“Parking meter rates aren’t driving people away,” said Amber Blake, multi-modal administrator. “Our Central Business District is busy.”

Main Avenue had an average of between 21 percent to 50 percent parking-space vacancy in June 2013. Data for June 2014 showed Main Avenue had an average vacancy rate between 11 and 20 percent. About 20 percent is the industry standard, Blake said.

Meter prices went from 60 cents on Main Avenue to $1 in January. Side-street meters that used to have varied rates now are all 75 cents an hour.

The vacancy map for June 2014 also revealed a low amount of vacant parking spaces on Eighth Street between East Second and Third avenues, Seventh Street between Main and East Third Avenue, East Third Avenue from Seventh Street to 10th Street and 10th Street between East Second and Third avenues.

Vacancy rates for the parking lots between College Drive and Ninth Street are between 1 and 19 percent. The Durango Intermodal Transit Center had a vacancy rate between 21 and 100 percent.

“The Transit Center had 60 spaces,” Blake said.

High parking availability in June was seen in several areas, including along Fifth Street, Main Avenue north of 12th Street and around 12th Street and East Second Avenue.

Metered parking was used on average 55 percent of the time between February and June. Mondays had the lowest occupancy rate, while Fridays had the highest. The city generated more than $400,000 in meter revenue this year, compared with more than $275,000 in 2013.

“Our highest revenue day is Friday, which is great (because) that means the people parking at the meters are actually paying the meters,” Blake said. “Monday is our lowest revenue day just on coins, smart-card and credit-card transactions at the meter.”

More parking tickets are written on Fridays. The city issued 15,748 tickets between January and June this year – 326 more tickets than the same period last year.

More vehicles were booted in the first part of this year than last year. Between January and June, 65 vehicles were booted, compared with 59 bootings in the same period in 2013.

Parking-permit revenue also increased from last year. For 2014 through June, the city has collected $57,548 compared with $34,215 last year.

smueller@durangoherald.com



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