Will the Times-Union Launch On JTA?

[urbanlibertarian]

Politically, how do you overcome the perception of most of Jax that there is a lack of parking DT?

[thelakelander]

Easy. Better on-street parking, wayfaring and private lot/garage signage in addition to a relaxation with harsh parking enforcement tactics.  Two-waying more streets would help reduce the confusion of navigating the area by car as well.  After all, people don't come downtown to park.  Thus, we need to make this secondary task of visiting downtown as thoughtless and painless as possible.

[cityimrov]

There is not enough easy or good parking in downtown.  Try to find a parking spot near The Landing or the TU Center when there's an event happening and see how fun that is.  No, those guys with the $10 event parking signs look like they are trying to rip me off so I'm not parking there!  We're going to drive around in circles to find someplace that looks like they offer decent parking and go there.  If we have a bad experience with that, no way I'm coming back to DT unless I have to! 

Either way, chasing after parking is the wrong thing.  If you want a good parking management, ask the people that run the SJTC.  Their parking is better than DT. 

A better solution would be that people who come to DT don't have to park!  Offer them a strong mass transit option so they can leave their cars in the suburbs and ride all the way to DT!   

[Garden guy]

All of this bitching about parking? This is a big issue with jacksonville....lazy  people...everyone wants to park at the front door and not pay a dime...lazy people you are...you all want a metropolitan city yet you have this "i gotta park at the front door or im not coming" mentality...i have never had a parking problem downtown..this is not your house..you've left your house..and no you can't always park at the front door..

[thelakelander]

If you want a spot near those events and don't want to pay, just park on the Forysth, Julia or Adams Street and walk two or three blocks.  That distance is less to the front door of those places than half of spaces at SJTC are to their shops.  As for transit into the burbs, that's an entirely different subject but one that also has to be dealt with.

[thelakelander]

All of this bitching about parking? This is a big issue with jacksonville....lazy  people...everyone wants to park at the front door and not pay a dime...lazy people you are...you all want a metropolitan city yet you have this "i gotta park at the front door or im not coming" mentality...i have never had a parking problem downtown..this is not your house..you've left your house..and no you can't always park at the front door..

I don't think people are lazy.  They have no problem parking blocks away and walking to the front door of Walmart, Target and SJTC.  If placed downtown, Regency Mall would stretch from the river to Union Street.  However, very few had a problem walking that distance before Avenues and SJTC opened.  You have a perception and a street level "dead space" problem that people continue to ignore and address.  Enhance building/retail integration with the sidewalks at street level and making parking in DT less confusing and you'll resolve most of the perceived problem.

[Ocklawaha]

Parking is in such abundance downtown (41,000 spaces) that it has prevented what transit we have from attracting "choice riders." Thus one effect on the transit system is to keep it in a position of transporting the impoverished, work release inmates, unskilled labor etc. and that creates a long lived image problem. It can quickly become a chicken and egg proposition as to weather or not to reequip the fleet, give the system a bath, new paint, new image, branding it first, or trying to close the headway gaps, hire new drivers, and double up on routes and services. Rarely is there a system that can afford to do both, and ours gets hobbled by the same bomb that is destroying downtown.

As for laziness and attractiveness, I think both factor in when its pouring down rain or we have clear sky's and 100 degree temperatures.  Back in the day, many of our buildings, if not most had some sort of awning that shaded the walks and kept downtown pleasent even in the hottest weather. But then maybe Garden Guy is off his medication again?

OCKLAWAHA

[thelakelander]

As for laziness and attractiveness, I think both factor in when its pouring down rain or we have clear sky's and 100 degree temperatures.  Back in the day, many of our buildings, if not most had some sort of awning that shaded the walks and kept downtown pleasent even in the hottest weather. But then maybe Garden Guy is off his medication again?

This is how you deal with the elements:

Enhance building/retail integration with the sidewalks at street level and make parking in DT less confusing and you'll resolve most of the perceived problem.

Enhancing the pedestrian scale environment would involve things like shade trees, awnings, window displays, outdoor seating, etc.  Make someone feel comfortable in the environment and they'll have no problem walking a block or two.  Don't protect the pedestrian from our extreme natural elements or engage them a pedestrian scale level and they won't walk if they don't have to.  It's as simple as that.

If you had to walk a block or two, what environment would you not want to do it in?

Deland:


Lakeland:


Miami:


Orlando:


Jacksonville: