Throw on a robe and venture outside for the rolled-up-stuffed-in-a-bag version of this week’s TAB for my op-ed on why all parking at Riverside should be available on equal terms to all.
I’ll post a link when it’s available. (Planning to milk the piece for several V14 posts!)
Good column Sean! I’m still intrigued with the idea …. but still have a few nagging questions of how that would play out.
When you compare Riverside to a downtown location near the T there’s an important difference. Downtown locations nearly always have relatively nearby parking spots available if you’re willing to pay through the nose for it. Even if 95% of the people in a downtown business don’t drive, the business needs to have at least some always available (though maybe very expensive) spots available for various hard-to-predict reasons – say an important meeting with visiting outsiders.
At Riverside, if the on-site parking fills up – that’s it. There are no nearby alternatives and the neighbors don’t want any. Unless the one-size-fits-all pricing you’re proposing is high enough to always guarantee some empty spots, how would a commercial tenant deal with that? If you did price it high enough to leave spots empty, how would that fly with the T and its customers? How would it fly with residents who would then be paying these high commuter parking rates to park at their apartment? Would the apartments mostly be limited to car-free residents?
It might all work but its not clear to me that you wouldn’t be putting an overly onerous, non-competitive burden on the commercial and residential landlord – relative to other properties in the surrounding area.
Jerry, the price of parking becomes a sensitive lever by which occupancy and vacancy can be tuned to a level that allows optimal occupancy – say, 85%.
Kudos: To whoever made the effort to put together this great forum for Newton residents. I know it takes a lot of work to set up and maintain. I hope it can remain a great place for constructive, respectful dialogue among neighbors.
Disclaimer: I have no vested interest in the Riverside development/parking issue as I neither work nor live in that area of Newton.
Two questions: Is there anyone on the Mayor’s transportation committee that has a specialty in environmental issues? How about someone who actually commutes using the T who could give some perspectives on the reality (read: challenges) of using it? I hope both are represented.
Some thoughts:
*Unless you happen to be lucky enough to BOTH live AND work within walking distance of the T, it is extremely difficult to commute using it.
*People who are using the T to commute to work are reducing emissions and traffic problems in Newton and the Boston Metro area. I hope we all agree that this should be encouraged. The reality is that there are many ways that T commuters pay, not just with a T pass. It can actually take less time to commute to Worcester from Newton than into Boston. T commuters pay with lost time at work (and with family); delays due to weather, broken down trains, or trains that dump you out in Reservoir in order to go express; and discomfort due to exposure walking in all sorts of extreme weather. If you have to get back to Newton to pick up a child from daycare or an after-school program, you have to factor in extra (wasted) time so that you are not late. If you have to drop off a child at school in the a.m., all of the (very few) MBTA parking lots are full by the time you get there. If the MBTA votes to enact service reductions and fare increases, a lot more Newtonites will be pushed into their cars. This means more pollution and traffic on our streets. I hope that whatever parking fees are set, they are done in a way that considers this weak economy and tries to encourage people to commute using public transport. I also hope the transportation committee is exploring ways to encourage Newton residents to use the T if they are able (perhaps some sort of Newton resident permit parking could be explored?).
*While they have the same destination as T commuters, people who drive to work at Riverside businesses are increasing emissions and traffic problems. That said, while there is a T stop next to these businesses, it doesn’t mean that people working there will be able to use it, even if they are willing. I would be surprised if there were more than a handful that could do this. If you live in places like Norwood or Northborough, your only option may be to drive.