In Quincy, MA, a redevelopment boom is bearing fruit at precisely the wrong time, at least from a parking perspective.
To ease the squeeze, Quincy has implemented a variety of strategies. At one city lot, Quincy more than doubled parking rates before 5 p.m. and offered free parking after 5 p.m. The city worked with churches to use their lots during the week and with a municipal building to use its lot after hours and on weekends. And to further increase utilization the city added valet services and shuttles, and it illuminated an unwelcoming alleyway that nighttime visitors avoided.
To convey the complicated catalog of changes, the city embarked on a communications campaign. That included wayfinding signs directing drivers to free parking, along with social media ads, videos, and printed media. City officials also made sure to meet with restaurateurs to inform them of the changes.
Through it all, the city stuck to the mantra that despite gripes about a parking shortage, there are plenty of spaces downtown.
More on Quincy’s work to free up hundreds of parking spaces appears in the February issue of Downtown Idea Exchange. Click to learn more about Downtown Idea Exchange and other resources for revitalizing downtowns and commercial corridors.