FeedsCity eases up on downtown parking restrictions
Changes in the downtown parking limitations will help promote business development, according to city officials.
The changes, approved last month by the city council, were greeted warmly last week by members of the Wayne 2020 committee. They allow for parking on streets in the downtown area where it had previously been forbidden.
“We think it’s significant,” said Peter McInerney, community development director for the City of Wayne.
Parking will now be allowed on: the north side of Park Street, between Biddle Street and the Community Living Services (CLS) property; the east and west sides of Biddle Street from Main Street to Michigan Avenue; the south side of Park Street from Newberry Street to the CLS property and the north side of Veterans Drive from Second Street to the cul-de-sac.
The decision to promote on-street parking grew out of the Andrews University study that took place last year. It stated that the parking would promote business growth as well as pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods, among other things.
McInerney said the decision was based on practicality and expense.
“This is one of the things we thought we could do without spending a lot of money on,” he said.
The city may try to encourage parking in those areas with new signage or by striping the street, but those decisions haven’t been made yet.
If this change works out well, it could be extended to other areas of the downtown, as well.
“We’ve sent a message that we’re willing to look at different areas,” he said.
Sherrie Pryor, the newest member of the Wayne 2020 Committee, said she liked the change.
“It is exciting to see this first step toward implementing the recommendations of the Andrews University Wayne Project happening so quickly after the completion of the study,” she said.
McInerney said the city was still looking into other parts of the plan to see what could or should happen next.
“We don’t need to do it all quickly,” he said. “We need to do it right.”
