Parking needs long-term plan Date: 29/08/2006 Publication: Illawarra Mercury
MOTORISTS in this region know only too well the shortcomings and frustrations of trying to find a free parking spot in and around Wollongong's central business district.
But it may come as a surprise to most of them to learn that their trawling of city streets to find an unoccupied space is a large part of the problem.
Traffic modelling shows that one-third of all traffic in the city centre is circulating traffic.
Faced with the job of unclogging streets and estimates of at least 6000 extra car parking spaces needed in the city over the next 20 years, Wollongong City Council is sounding the death knell for free parking.
One of the great challenges facing planners and councillors is finding the right options to solve this vexing issue.
Plans for strategically placed parking stations housed in multipurpose buildings seem on the right track.
Even a car park under MacCabe Park is imaginative and full of potential.
Hopefully councillors will be keen to take a broader, long-term view of parking planning and resist the temptation to simply introduce parking meters to city streets.