System-wide | Aviation | Bicycling | Bridges | Freight | Highway | Parking | Pedestrian | Transit
Parking
Community revitalization must include vehicular parking facilities
Parking is an integral part of the redevelopment and revitalization of urban centers throughout Chester County. Without adequate, safe and convenient parking revitalization efforts are limited. Off-street parking, in the form of structured parking (while very expensive), has been widely accepted as a critical element in bringing customers, clients and businesses back into the urban setting.
Managing travel demand
As traffic congestion increases in Chester County, with limited funding for new road capacity, parking strategies have emerged as a critical tool of travel demand management. Throughout the County, many park and ride lots and regional rail parking lots are positive success stories. Yet, to encourage further public transit use, additional parking is needed at train stations, along bus corridors, and at road junctions with park and ride lots. Additionally, some urban areas require improved parking management, marketing and signing.
Addressing the impacts of excessive parking
While parking offers distinct economic benefits, providing excessive parking may impact other planning policies. For example, providing free parking at employment and commercial centers in suburban landscapes encourages auto-dependencies, contributed to air and water quality concerns, and discourages public transit usage; parking is also a major consideration in stormwater management due to impervious coverage; a strong demand exists for high schools to provide student parking which is counter-productive to school busing.
Special parking needs
Various parking needs exists throughout the County of varying magnitudes and durations. For example, recreational trail users have cited a shortage of trail-head parking. Additionally, many community events around the County generate a short-term demand for parking supply.
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System-wide | Aviation | Bicycling | Bridges | Freight | Highway | Parking | Pedestrian | Transit