The Town of Amherst, through its consultant Nelson Nygaard is seeking your input on parking issues affecting Downtown Amherst. By completing the following short survey, you will help us develop a deeper understanding of how well our existing parking supplies, policies, and management approach are serving the needs and expectations of our downtown business owners, employees, residents, and visitors.
Follow this link to take the survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/AmherstParking
April 28, 2016
Just in time for UMass graduation, several new banners and sign have been installed downtown. Improving signs for public lots downtown was a of the Downtown Parking Report. These five new banners and new signs for the Pray Street and Town Hall Lot is phase I. Subsequent improvements may follow the reconstruction of the Amity Street Lot and portions of East Pleasant Street. This project illustrates a good collaboration between the Planning Department and Department of Public Works.
April 1, 2016
As a continuation of the downtown parking forums, discussions, and as outlined in the Downtown Parking Report, the Town is excited to announce that Nelson Nygaard will begin an existing parking facilities supply and demand study in April!
The project will consist of three distinct data collection opportunities this spring, including an updated inventory and study of utilization rates. It will include a detailed parking user survey online, intercept surveys, and a series of stakeholder roundtable discussions, including residents, where the data findings will be shared. A final report will be prepared and provided with a presentation of the findings to occur towards the end of the summer. Subject to rain dates, data collectors working with the consultant will be in Town on April 7, April 9, and, April 23rd and may be seen walking around town conducting counts in two hour loops.
As a reminder, the collection of new data was a key objective identified through forums hosted by the Planning Department and co-sponsored by the Select Board and Planning Board. We are now embarking on this much needed step to begin addressing downtown parking issues. Information related to the data collection, the online user survey, along with the Downtown Parking Report, will be available and posted at www.amherstma.gov/parkingforum.
Questions may be directed to Jeff Bagg, Senior Planner, in the Amherst Planning Department at 413-259-3187 or baggj@amherstma.gov.
The following is the final draft of the Downtown Parking Report: FINAL DRAFT, Downtown Parking Report, July 24, 2015
The following draft was presented to the Select Board on June 15, 2015. This version of the Report is more akin to a "preview". It is intended to show the purpose, an outline, framework, and format. Between now and the final draft the language and content may change.
The goal is to provide the Select Board and Planning Board with a final draft by the end of July, 2015.
To view the document, click here: DRAFT Downtown Parking Report, June 15, 2015
Co-sponsored by the Select Board and Planning Board, the Planning Department hosted the first in a series of public forums about parking in Amherst Center, on September 23, 2014 at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Amherst. One of the goals of the first forum is to provide a platform for residents, business owners, and others to identify what's working, what's not, ask questions, and offer potential solutions. Subsequent forums will be organized to present a summary of the issues and concerns raised and to create a collaborative, comprehensive, and open process for the community, Select Board, and Planning Board to establish future options and solutions regarding this complex topic.