As described in the final report, parking demand calculations indicated there was ample parking in the downtown area at the time of the study,
based on the inventory in 2010 (5,034 stalls). The results of present demand indicated that periphery study area blocks had a surplus of parking, while some core blocks produced a deficit. However, it should be noted that the estimated parking demand for each block and land use may not have occurred simultaneously. Consequently, estimated demand deficits (or surpluses) may not necessarily exist in the patterns that were estimated. Overall however, the demand calculations indicated the existence of a parking surplus which provides headroom for future downtown growth.
The City of Bozeman’s downtown district possesses a number of parking resources. These include on-street parking, off-street parking lots, a parking garage, private (business) parking lots, and alley parking. At present, the city does not have a clear picture of the inventory of these resources; rather, only a general estimate of the number of existing spaces. Additionally, turnover and occupancy rates for available parking are unknown. While a general figure of 3,600 available parking spaces has been compiled by the City’s Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Division, there is little knowledge about the distribution of parking resources in the downtown area, the current use of these resources, and the patterns of parking use, to name but a few. Therefore, the city lacks the hard data necessary to assist in making decisions regarding issues such as redevelopment. Instead, decisions are made based on what “feels” right regarding parking, based on the previously cited estimate of existing parking spaces.
The purpose of this project is to provide the city of Bozeman, MT with information regarding available parking inventory, turnover, and occupancy rates, as well as the state of the practice in managing parking resources in downtown areas.
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