On December 21st, City Council unanimously voted to adopt the Downtown Parking & Transportation plan. The plan represents more than two years of close collaboration between the Department of Public Works (DPW), the Community & Economic Development Office (CEDO), and the Burlington Business Association (BBA) and represents a new attempt to approach downtown parking issues systematically and comprehensively. The plan builds on extensive public input and recent steps to improve customer experience, including parking meters that accept credit cards and a new pay-by-phone option.

“This effort will add to the dynamism of our downtown and make Burlington a better place to live, work, and visit,” said Mayor Weinberger. “The recommendations in the plan reflect careful and comprehensive analysis of the system and will make the parking system cleaner, safer, more usable, financially solvent, and supportive of bikers and walkers.”

Summary of goals and major recommendations
The goals of the downtown parking plan are to design a parking and transportation system that will:

·         Deliver a consistently positive customer experience;

·         Ensure the continued vitality of downtown Burlington; and

·         Create a parking system which is fiscally sound and operationally efficient.

The plan’s topline recommendations include:

·         Offer a range of parking options and price points that reflect demand;

·         Employ new technology like Pay-by-Phone to improve customer experience;

·         Complete parking garage capital improvements in phases – 2015-2017, with a focus on                 cleanliness and safety;

·         Bring underutilized private parking lots and garages into the system for public use; and

·         Promote active transportation modes – such as walking, bicycling, and public transit – via           targeted and proactive education and outreach.

“Every business knows how important it is to make a great first impression. Parking sets the first and last impression for nearly everyone who comes downtown,” said BBA President Kelly Devine. “This plan’s recommendations will create a great parking and transportation experience. It will be more convenient and pleasant to come downtown to shop, eat, play, do business, and visit. The report’s recommendations offer a change for the better for Burlington. Passage of the plan is a critical first step to continue to build upon the positive change we’ve seen over the past two years of planning work and pilot testing, and the business community looks forward to advancing this plan.”

More information can be found at www.parkburlington.com