More Input Sought for Parking Management Study

By Alyssa Schnugg
News Editor
alyssa.schnugg@hottytoddy.com

As the construction of the new downtown parking garage continues, the parking consultants hired by Oxford officials are looking for more input from the public on how they’d like to see the new garage managed.

Last month, Kimley-Horn Parking Consultants held an open meeting with local business owners where they presented them with a survey that asked questions that included whether they preferred monthly, quarterly or annual parking permits for the garage; whether they would be more likely to pay more for a guaranteed or convenient spot or pay less for a shared space or less convenient spot; and how they would likely pay for parking in the garage – using a credit card or to pay cash at the exit lane or at a meter or kiosk.

That same survey was posted on social media sites to get a larger survey pool.

That survey will be taken down in about a week so that Kimley-Horn representatives can start analyzing the information, according to Doug Swett with Kimley-Horn.

The consultants will be looking at a variety of aspects concerning the downtown parking system as a whole in two phases – the first being to tackle the development of parking permits, pricing and the kind of technology needed for the parking system.

As of Monday, 219 surveys have been completed, by 22 business owners, 60 employees and 137 shoppers/customers.

“It is important that we get responses from as many user groups as possible because the consultants are using this information to inform their recommendations about our parking system permitting and fees,” said Mark Levy, with the Oxford Public Works Department.

The survey can be done online at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/OxfordParkingManagementStudy.