The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Additional parking coming to downtown
More metered spots, traffic changes to counteract garage closure
MIDDLETOWN — The city is working on adding parking downtown to compensate for the 180 spaces lost when the Court Street parking arcade was closed early last month.
The 50-year-old structure has been experiencing significant damage from crumbling concrete for years. Shortly, 130 spots will be created or opened up, according to a news release from Mayor Dan Drew.
“We are making good progress in managing parking flow downtown and will be implementing some additional measures to add more parking during the demolition phase of the parking garage project,” he said in a prepared statement.
“In the meantime, our parking department has been deploying people outside to help manage the flow of traffic during peak times,” he added.
The Common Council approved three bonds totaling $1.63 million earlier this month to demolish the 350-space arcade lot on Court Street and create surface parking as a temporary measure, as well as create other spaces downtown.
“Everybody wants to see this resolved as quickly as possible.”
Geen Thazhampallath, parking director
In mid-April, Parking Director Geen Thazhampallath asked for patience from business owners and the public — at the same time acknowledged the urgency of a temporary fix.
“Everybody wants to see this resolved as quickly as possible,” he said. “It’s an emergency situation to protect public safety and prevent any further falling of concrete. God forbid it ever hurt somebody — that’s our first and foremost consideration in this.”
The lower level of the arcade was closed in December 2013 due to crumbling concrete and other hazards, leading to the loss of 175 spaces.
Drew said the city is working with Superior Court on Court Street about the possibility of opening its garage at certain times to the public.
“We have also crafted a plan to add more on-street parking, which will ease some of the pressure downtown. In early May, we will change downtown’s traffic pattern to add more on-street parking. This is a temporary change.
“Things will go back to normal when the garage is demolished and surface parking is available,” the mayor said.
New parking and traffic patterns
⏩ Dingwall Drive will remain one way westbound from deKoven Drive to Main Street. Forty-fivedegree parking will be on the south side of the street, (34 spaces) restricted to police vehicles only. The city hopes to change it at some point. Access to this street will fluctuate as demolition commences.
⏩ Court Street will remain two-way from deKoven Drive to Melilli Plaza, keeping the existing parallel parking spaces on the north side. Court Street from Melilli Plaza to Main Street will become one way westbound toward Main Street. Parallel parking will be added (15 spaces) to both sides of the street.
⏩ Melilli Plaza will become one way southbound from Washington Street to Court Street. Parallel parking will be added (20 spaces) to the east side of the street.
The changes will add 35 new metered public spaces and an additional 75 spaces have already been created through leases that will move city employees off site, Drew added. Twenty more on-street spaces will be added on deKoven soon for permit parkers, which will also free up a lot of space for the public.
“The meters are necessary to induce turnover. Without them, our experience is that people park and do not leave,” Drew said.
For a list of parking areas, visit cityofmiddletown.com/Parking