Proposed parking garages for light rail users raises concerns
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VANCOUVER, Wash. - A new hiccup is emerging from the Columbia River Crossing project over plans to add a few parking garages that would be free to park in.
The three planned parking garages are meant to encourage use of a new light rail system through downtown and across the new bridge. But the backlash could come if people park in those spaces even if they don't take transit.
"There are few concerns, but they're just management issues that need to be addressed," said Vancouver's project development manager Matt Ransom.
He said the city and C-Tran are studying options – like enforcement – to ensure those parking in the garages are really taking transit.
"What would be the cost of having people enforce versus machines versus the gated system, and that needs to be put on the table and be part of the dialogue," Ransom said. "There needs to be some management – the degree of management is really what needs to be decided."
Right now there are 3,400 on- and off-street parking spaces in downtown Vancouver. The three Park and Ride garages would almost double that, adding another 2,900 spots.
Ransom hopes, if handled properly, the plan would help businesses, not cost the city.
"To have a successful downtown you have to have parking," he said. "So these goals can be additive and positive. We just need to do it in a well thought out and rational way."
The city and C-Tran are doing a review of this issue and hope to have more specifics in the next year and a half.
my guess is they want to build it then start charging later. just need to build it first. Its the walmart approach. Break ground, sign a contract stating its good for X years, then when its up do what you want.
"To have a successful downtown you have to have parking," he said. "So these goals can be additive and positive. We just need to do it in a well thought out and rational way."
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Isn't the light rail supposed to make it easier for people from Vancouver to go into Portland. (even though they dont want to). So how would that help the city if people were parking there cars in the Vancouver garage to ride the train into Portland?
"Man bites dog...More to come on the 6 o'clock news...."
The answer is not to build them. Vancouver has shown we do not want the light rail.
 @Eliza We don't need it either.
You know if they make some mechanical or in-person enforcement to require people who park at these garages take the MAX or have some proof of a TriMet ticket, they will be more secure than any actual MAX platform.
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It's like putting a bolt lock on your 4' front gate, then leaving your front door open.
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Nice to see revenue and not increase transportation is the real reason why they are putting in a MAX.
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I wonder how much more they are going to charge people from Washington to use MAX.
who cares they will be huge empty white elephants. If you think people are going to drive to downtown vancouver, so they can spend an hour sitting on Max just to get downtown, instead of driving 15 minutes to downtown pdx you're nuts. The people who design these systems need to have their cars taken away so they design efficient systems.   Ctran commuter buses ROCK. MAX is a huge step backwards.
 @Dave Now that's funny. You have your commute time just backwards. You CAN NOT get from downtown Portland to Vancouver in a car in less than 45 minutes between 3:00 and 6:30 on ANY normal working weekday. That's true of the morning commute southbound as well. Unless you know some other way to cross the river with your car?
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Increased auto traffic across the river is unsustainable and near obsolete. Light rail is inevitable and forward thinking. Get used to it.
 @Dave I agree with you but I am just wondering if this is going to be anywhere near where they are planning on charging a toll fee to cross the bridge, I believe I read here on K2 that it was going to be $8.28 each way. Â
The best idea is not to have the Max line in Vancouver. Â It is a waste of money.
Simple solution: No pedestrian exit or entry except to or from the MAX platform and no other way to go anywhere else. SaintVino's idea should also be applied.
Possibly have the garages behave like our current Smart Park garages in Portland, but insert a recently expired(within 1 hour?) or still valid trimet ticket and parking would be free?
 @SaintVino I was thinking the exact same thing while reading the article. The solution doesn't seem that elusive.