The other day, I heard the tale of a work-related trip to Newark that ended in frustration.
The driver told me he checked out all the parking lots but could not find a single space.
Granted, the story is unusual. I have never struggled to find a parking space in downtown but normally visit during off hours.
But over the years, finding a space that does not require feeding a sometimes balky parking meter has become more of a chore.
Many cities of varied sizes in similar situations have found a way to build a municipal parking ramp, sometimes free of charge for short-term parkers. That has not happened in Newark, despite much talk and a proposal or two that never got off the drawing board.
What we have seen are critics looking down their noses at parking structures and others looking for a developer or the University of Delaware to play Santa Claus and hand over a ramp.
UD does have a parking structure on Deer Park’s end of Main Street, but there are times when it is at capacity.
No magic solution has emerged, and prospects for a solution look bleak in the short term.
The city is feeling a financial crunch that, minus some cuts by City Council, will lead to hefty property tax and utility increases. Also in the mix are higher parking rates and fines.
In the meantime, the lack of a parking solution clouds the long-term future of a still-busy Main Street. – Doug Rainey, chief content officer.
