KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – The revamp of downtown Kalamazoo’s parking system is about to move into its second phase.
It can be a hot-button issue for some, because the rate structure is used partly to discourage people from long term parking. That means the most popular locations cost more, like the Kalamazoo Mall.
Consultant Rob Bacigalupi says visitors are paying for convenience. There will still be 90-minutes of free parking in the ramps, and totally free and on the fringes of the downtown, for those with the time. Some areas will see prices increase, like on the southeast side, and prices will back off along East Michigan Avenue, all based on new parking studies.
The plan includes installing more parking stations around the downtown, like the ones installed on the Kalamazoo Mall last year, that take charge cards and replacing obsolete parking meters with new ones.
There are also plans to make barrier-free parking easier downtown in those areas where it’s currently a problem.
Public forums and information campaigns will begin next month with installations beginning this October.
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