Burlingame to sort downtown parking issues

The money will pay toward renting additional parking spaces, operating a valet program during peak traffic periods and establishing an incentive program to encourage employees of downtown businesses to use public transportation.

The initiatives are offered to meet the concerns raised by merchants and shoppers who fear losing parking spaces due to construction at adjacent lots F and N, along Howard Avenue between Park Road and Highland Avenue. Lot N is slated to be a garage with 384 units, and lot F will be 132 affordable units of senior and workforce housing.

Officials worked alongside downtown businesses and members of the Traffic, Safety and Parking Commission as well as others to craft a catalog of programs intended to temper some of the temporary parking pain felt until the new facilities are finished.

Councilman Ricardo Ortiz lauded the vision while expressing his appreciation to those who developed the concept.

“I think it’s a really, really good proposal,” said Ortiz, according to video of the meeting.

Of the money allocated, $100,000 will be paid to a valet service which will operate during business hours Wednesday, Thursday and Friday once construction on the parking garage begins in a few months.

The service will solely accommodate permitted downtown employees who need to stash their car in long-term parking during their shift, and will not be available to shoppers looking for convenience.

Public Works Director Syed Murtuza said he expects the program will help find parking places for between 40 and 50 cars which otherwise would potentially be competition for other downtown spots.

Another approximately 40 spaces can be created by officials agreeing to rent long-term spots in the downtown Caltrain parking lot for an expected $57,000 per year, Murtuza said.

And officials are hopeful an incentive program crafted in collaboration with the downtown business improvement district will encourage some employees to abstain from driving to work in favor of taking public transportation, said Murtuza.

The details of the program expected to cost about $20,000 are still being developed, but Vice Mayor Emily Beach suggested one opportunity could be offering prepaid Clipper cards to those willing and able to take public transportation to work.

While agreeing more work is required to refine and advertise the availability of the program to workers and merchants, Beach said the financial commitment signals officials’ dedication to managing the issue.

“The city is not asleep at the wheel here,” she said.

Officials have a few weeks to refine terms of the incentive program, as construction on the five-story parking garage is expected to begin at lot N bounded by Lorton and Highland avenues this fall. Murtuza said it is anticipated the lot could take between one year and 18 months to finish.

Mayor Donna Colson said ground breaking on the parking garage first is necessary because the depth of excavation required for the affordable housing cannot be completed during the potential rainy season.

Murtuza said the five-story housing development may begin the following spring, and could take as long as two years to complete. He noted with the two lots occupied during construction, some have raised fears that the downtown parking problems would be compounded.

Beyond the approved parking management programs, Murtuza said officials also considered hiring a shuttle service to give workers rides to and from another rented lot. But operating the service and finding available parking spaces beyond those at the Caltrain lot proved prohibitively expensive, he said. Ultimately, Murtuza said he expected the programs endorsed by councilmembers could help cut the parking demand by about 100 cars.

For his part, Councilman Michael Brownrigg said he considered the measures a worthy investment.

“I think this is money well spent,” he said.

austin@smdailyjournal.com

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