A holistic approach to parking management is important for downtown, the city's compact central mixed-use district. Prior to 2020, the last downtown parking study was conducted in 2009, and parking needs had changed since then due to growth in this area of the city. The robust data collection, analysis, and public vetting of solutions conducted by this study ensures that the new plan serves downtown parking needs for the next 10 years. Additionally, the study will become a chapter of the Downtown Master Plan.
The study includes information about existing parking supply and usage, as well as short- and long-term supply and demand forecasts for parking in the downtown area. The study recommends strategies to better utilize the existing inventory of parking in the downtown area, as well as strategies to increase the inventory to meet the projected demand over time. Travel mode trends were considered in the demand projections. The user experience between parking locations and destinations were also considered. The study includes cost estimates and potential timeframes for implementation.
For more information, view the final report [6.7MB].
Past project steps:
Resident input - public survey: [290KB] August 2019 press release.
Public Forum on Wednesday, August 28, 2019 - The City of Harrisonburg, along with Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance and consultant group DESMAN, hosted a public forum focused on improving parking options in Downtown.
Downtown Parking Public Forums on Wednesday, January 22, 2020 - The City of Harrisonburg presented potential changes to parking in the downtown area.
[14MB] Meeting Displays
[5MB] Meeting Presentation
Public survey regarding Study Recommendations: January 2020 press release [487KB]
Any questions may be directed to Thomas Hartman, Public Works Director at 540-434-5928 or by email, Tom.Hartman@harrisonburgva.gov.