DOVER—
Starting in January, the City of Dover will expand paid parking onto Central Avenue and Washington Street. This decision is the result of numerous studies and extensive public deliberation. While it is recognized that a transition to paid on-street parking is a change for the community, it is also the next right step for Dover to address its parking challenges. This next phase and the entire parking program have been endorsed by the independent boards of the Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce and Dover Main Street Program.
Once the hurdles of behavioral change are overcome, this system will achieve its goal of keeping parking spaces open for short-term (up to 3 hour) customers and clients of downtown businesses while providing long-term parkers with convenient off-street parking that is either free or very affordable. Paid on-street parking will be enforced Monday through Friday from 8am to 6pm.
The lack of downtown parking is significantly hindering economic development activities to bring larger employers and companies into our downtown. These daytime downtown tenants are the lifeblood of our downtown economy. It is our hope that this transition allows the City to manage parking more effectively and better utilize the inventory that exists. Revenues created by the program are used to further enhance the parking amenities in the City to include, better signage, increased lot maintenance, development of new facilities and broader marketing of the system.
It’s important to note that consumers will be able to pay for on street parking in as small an increment as 20 minutes. Also, the City is implementing a discounted token program where token users can take advantage of up to a 20% discount on parking fees. Lastly, the Chamber and the Main Street Program encourage downtown shops and restaurants to adopt the token program as a way to give customers an incentive to return to downtown.
Dover, like many NH municipalities, faces significant pressures on its property tax base. The parking system has, and will continue to be, a self-sufficient function that derives no operating expense from property tax revenue. The operation of the system is made up from the user fees and fines collected, much like any other city utility like sewer or water.
Reflect for a moment about the successful downtowns in our area that have a high sense of place and a serious economic vibrancy – Portsmouth, Concord, Newburyport, and Portland. All of these communities have a parking system that has a combination of paid and free on and off street parking. Dover’s transition is to a similar system. Those who are willing to walk a little further still have access to many free parking opportunities.
This article was submitted by Kirt Schuman, Executive Director of the Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce and Carrie Eisner, Program Director of the Dover Main Street Program.
Starting in January, the City of Dover will expand paid parking onto Central Avenue and Washington Street. This decision is the result of numerous studies and extensive public deliberation. While it is recognized that a transition to paid on-street parking is a change for the community, it is also the next right step for Dover to address its parking challenges. This next phase and the entire parking program have been endorsed by the independent boards of the Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce and Dover Main Street Program.
Once the hurdles of behavioral change are overcome, this system will achieve its goal of keeping parking spaces open for short-term (up to 3 hour) customers and clients of downtown businesses while providing long-term parkers with convenient off-street parking that is either free or very affordable. Paid on-street parking will be enforced Monday through Friday from 8am to 6pm.
The lack of downtown parking is significantly hindering economic development activities to bring larger employers and companies into our downtown. These daytime downtown tenants are the lifeblood of our downtown economy. It is our hope that this transition allows the City to manage parking more effectively and better utilize the inventory that exists. Revenues created by the program are used to further enhance the parking amenities in the City to include, better signage, increased lot maintenance, development of new facilities and broader marketing of the system.
It’s important to note that consumers will be able to pay for on street parking in as small an increment as 20 minutes. Also, the City is implementing a discounted token program where token users can take advantage of up to a 20% discount on parking fees. Lastly, the Chamber and the Main Street Program encourage downtown shops and restaurants to adopt the token program as a way to give customers an incentive to return to downtown.
Dover, like many NH municipalities, faces significant pressures on its property tax base. The parking system has, and will continue to be, a self-sufficient function that derives no operating expense from property tax revenue. The operation of the system is made up from the user fees and fines collected, much like any other city utility like sewer or water.
Reflect for a moment about the successful downtowns in our area that have a high sense of place and a serious economic vibrancy – Portsmouth, Concord, Newburyport, and Portland. All of these communities have a parking system that has a combination of paid and free on and off street parking. Dover’s transition is to a similar system. Those who are willing to walk a little further still have access to many free parking opportunities.
This article was submitted by Kirt Schuman, Executive Director of the Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce and Carrie Eisner, Program Director of the Dover Main Street Program.
