Santa Monica Running Out Of Parking
With unprecedented growth in tourism, and new building projects underway, Santa Monica is running out of places to park.
On March 8, the Santa Monica City Council found it necessary to deliberate late into the night searching for solutions to Santa Monica parking issues.
Council members eventually arrived at some intermediate term solutions, including building a new subterranean parking garage near the civic center. One council member jokingly referred to the meeting as parking night, while Mayor Richard Bloom dubbed the conclusion of the meeting as parking morning. The new garage would be built beneath the existing parking structure, and would add approximately 1,000 spaces.
Businesses voiced concerns over the intermediate parking strategy, since the planned subterranean lot would be too far from major points of traffic, potentially hurting business.
Public advocacy groups like the Santa Monica Pier Restoration Committee (SMPRC) proposed parking construction underneath the planned Palisades Garden Walk. Being near Ocean Avenue, a major Santa Monica thoroughfare, the proposed parking would divert traffic flow towards business-heavy centers.
Council member Bobby Shriver echoed the SMPRC, pushing private parking along Ocean Boulevard, which would increase the supply of parking near the Third Street Promenade, a vital economic artery in Santa Monica.
Proposed parking additions would cost millions, and with the potential loss of redevelopment agency funds, planned parking expansion may take time.
Council members eventually arrived at some intermediate term solutions, including building a new subterranean parking garage near the civic center. One council member jokingly referred to the meeting as parking night, while Mayor Richard Bloom dubbed the conclusion of the meeting as parking morning. The new garage would be built beneath the existing parking structure, and would add approximately 1,000 spaces.
Businesses voiced concerns over the intermediate parking strategy, since the planned subterranean lot would be too far from major points of traffic, potentially hurting business.
Public advocacy groups like the Santa Monica Pier Restoration Committee (SMPRC) proposed parking construction underneath the planned Palisades Garden Walk. Being near Ocean Avenue, a major Santa Monica thoroughfare, the proposed parking would divert traffic flow towards business-heavy centers.
Council member Bobby Shriver echoed the SMPRC, pushing private parking along Ocean Boulevard, which would increase the supply of parking near the Third Street Promenade, a vital economic artery in Santa Monica.
Proposed parking additions would cost millions, and with the potential loss of redevelopment agency funds, planned parking expansion may take time.
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