Forever a perennial issue for downtown businesses, parking is getting technological upgrades and a public relations makeover in South Norwalk.
Called “Parking Around Town is Getting A Lot Friendlier,” the Norwalk Parking Authority”™s campaign is an attempt to improve the ebb and flow of visitors and residents alike.
“We know that a better parking experience means a better Norwalk experience for those who work and live here, as well as the many people who visit South Norwalk for its great restaurants and attractions,” Norwalk Mayor Richard A. Moccia said.
Heading up the new initiative is Kathryn Hebert, executive director of the Norwalk Parking Authority. Hebert said the major SoNo Webster parking lot has been converted from a gated lot to pay stations.
“We don”™t want people to be backed up during peak hours,” she said. “We”™ve also implemented pay-by-cell. If you”™re in a restaurant or in a meeting and you didn”™t put enough money in the meter you can simply call with your ticket number and in 30 seconds add more time.”
Hebert said the change to pay stations has unified the various parking elements downtown.
“They”™re all part of one system,” said Hebert. “You can pay or add time at any of the stations. They”™re all also credit card-accepting meters, even the on-the-street meters.”
License-recognition systems will also save time and effort for monthly permit holders who will be able to register their vehicles online.
“You can register up to three cars,” she said. “That is for the entire parking authority system except for the Maritime Center and the train station.”
Hebert said a new website will also work with the changes to improve the flow of coming to South Norwalk.
“Unless you”™re from here, if you can”™t find parking right away, you really aren”™t sure where to turn and where to go,” she said.
Parking proves to be an issue for employees as much as for customers. Often it is an issue of awareness.
“What”™s interesting is that there is plenty of parking and that”™s why we need this whole development in way-finding,” said Karl Heine, principal of creativeplacement, and co-founder of Push Workshops in SoNo. “People keep saying that there”™s not enough parking, but it is more that they just don”™t know where it is. With that development I”™m very pleased.”
Heine has done business in SoNo for 20 years. He said the addition of the call-in capability of the meters is a move in the right direction for an area where dinners and meetings often exceed the two-hour limit of the street parking.
Another issue for clients and those visiting from out of town, he said, is that South Norwalk has not registered as its own area of the city in some GPS systems. Heine said offering detailed directions on his company”™s website is a way to gain some control of the navigating scenario.
Heine said awareness is a core issue with service, such as shuttles from the train station.
“Most people aren”™t aware that we offer $25 per month employee parking; that”™s a lot better than the $85 normal rate,” Hebert said.
Moccia said it”™s important to keep the Norwalk community abreast of the changes the Parking Authority is making.
“The Parking Authority is a self-sustaining organization,” Hebert said. “Although the city government has had to lay off a lot of workers through the economy, the Parking Authority is all user-based so we have some more flexibility to get things done.”
Hebert and the Parking Authority reached out to business owners to hear their parking concerns and ideas of what can be done.
The SoNo Collaborative and members Steven Christofor, owner of Christofor Realty and Scott Beck, owner of the Match restaurant, offered input from the business perspective.
“Parking is something that really affects businesses around here,” Christofor said. “We hear it all. Going to the businesses for advice is one of the best things that the Parking Authority could do.”
Hebert said finding great technologies to help meet the goals of a downtown is important, but implementing actual change in how people behave has been the true challenge.
“City parking is a moving target,” she said. “There”™s always something that can be done better.”
To address future improvements, the city will be having a customer service booth as well as representatives to assist in the parking process.
“We”™re really making it happen,” Hebert said.
Issues as simple as having parking meters that accept all coins, not just quarters, can greatly improve someone”™s experience in the downtown, she said.
“In addition to promoting the parking here we want to promote SoNo and the businesses here. We want people to come here and we want it to be a pleasant experience. For many people parking is a four-letter word.”
