Why Parking is an Important Part of the Equation

Cars parked on Wall Street in Downtown Bend

In the current growth climate of Bend, Oregon you often hear cars and bikes pitched against each other.  When one person talks about parking and roads, the other side cries out about bikes and public transit.  The truth is that a healthy community has ALL of these things - safe bike/ped access throughout the City (especially in the Downtown district) abundant bike parking, a robust public transit system, forward-thinking development of roads and connectivity for cars, and adequate parking for residents and visitors.  

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Zagster Bike Share on Bond Street in Downtown Bend

I think most people can agree that biking & public transit have a plethora of benefits.  It's healthy, it's better for the planet, it saves money, and it cuts down on congestion.  The DBBA diligently works to encourage Downtown employees to bike and carpool, actively works with Commute Options to explore new ways to educate and encourage people to use alternative modes of transportation, and advocates in their future Downtown vision for the development of bike/ped connections into Downtown, protected bike lanes, and increased bike parking.  The DBBA was an partner in bringing Zagster Bike Share and the Ride Bend bus to Downtown.  We love alternative modes of transportation!

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Although we are passionate about biking and public transit, we also recognize the need to develop easy, effective road connections as well as adequate parking in the Downtown district.  Here are just a few cases where being able to drive and park in Downtown easily and safely is important:

Visitors
Visitors come to us in cars.  They drive over from Portland, they come up from California.  Those who fly-in usually rent a car for their stay.  Most people who visit Bend come to see our historic Downtown & shop in our local boutiques, and they do so in their cars.

Senior Citizens
Downtown Bend has an abundance of Senior Citizens who visit Downtown to shop with our local merchants and eat meals prepared by our award winning chefs.  Many seniors do not feel that alternative modes of transportation offer them the safety, efficiency and ease they desire.

Shoppers
34% of our Downtown district is retail shops.  When people go shopping, they need a way to transport their goods.  It would be impossible to get a Jeffrey Murphy print or a new appliance from Kitchen Complements home safely using alternative modes of transportation.

Disabled Citizens
26.2% of Deschutes County citizens are disabled, and 19.3% of our national population is disabled.  Many disabled citizens find that driving their car is easier and more effective for them than using alternative modes of transportation.

Late Night Events
Downtown Bend serves as the center for late night activity.  We have various theatres, art galleries, bars and music venues that close after 9pm.  Late night biking or bussing is not an easy, safe or efficient option for many visitors enjoying the late night activities, or the staff that makes those activities possible.  In fact, the last bus in Downtown Bend is at 7:35pm.

Injured Citizens
Bend is the land of vigorous outdoor activity.  With this pursuit often comes short-term injuries.  In fact, when you look at a local calendar of events, you'll notice several workshops dedicated to teaching people how to deal with minor injuries from outdoor play.  However, the truth is when you are injured - you are driving your car.  

Children & Families
Downtown Bend attracts families with small children.  Local and visiting families love to play in Drake Park, go out to lunch, visit the toy store, and (of course) all the kids love Goody's and Cravin's in Downtown Bend.  Families with multiple small children often do not find it easy, safe or efficient to use alternative forms of transportation.  We want to make sure to keep Downtown accessible to them.  

Inclement Weather
Let's face it - Bend is in the high desert and therefore we experience winter. While some folks still ride their bikes in the winter months, many people are 'fair weather riders'.  Citizens also tend to not want to wait for the bus when the temps are below freezing.  It is important that our Downtown business district retains its vibrancy in winter months - and that requires having places for visitors to park their cars.

The vision of the DBBA is to keep Downtown Bend an accessible and welcoming place for everyone, regardless of race, sex, religion, gender identity, age, social status, or mobility.  Downtown serves a unique and special role in our community.  It is the only shopping & arts district that is public. This allows it to fulfill a role in our community that no other place can.  Nationally, Downtowns serve as locations where communities come alive, where bonds among neighbors are strengthened and where a sense of belonging is fostered.  They are locations that spark economic development and drive entrepreneurial creativity. 

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Currently there are 5,799 parking spaces in Downtown Bend, there are about 4,000 Downtown Bend employees, 94,520 Bend residents (reported by World Population Review), almost 20,000 visitors to Bend daily (reported by The Source in July 2016), we have upwards of 3,200 hotel rooms in Bend (reported by the Bulletin in Sept 2016), and in November of 2018 KTVZ reported that the High Desert population was growing by 20 people per day. 

At a recent meeting with ODOT, they reported that they expect the population to be 160,000 plus by 2040.  This is a 50% population increase in 20 years.  Currently, the Downtown Bend parking garage is frequently at capacity - especially during events or during busy shopping seasons (Art Walk, Christmas).  With the current population growth prediction, we can expect it to be outdated very soon.  We need to plan now for additional Downtown parking in the future.  

Parking is an important part of Downtown Bend's future success, and needs to be developed hand-in-hand with increased bike access & public transportation.  The City of Bend has done an amazing job addressing parking in Downtown Bend over this last year.  The candidate chosen as the Downtown Bend Parking Manager has worked effectively and quickly to appraise the situation, find 'quick-win' solutions, enroll teamwork from community partners, and implement new strategies.  Let's continue that good work by building a comprehensive plan for the future of transportation and parking in Downtown Bend.