Our goal was to create a flexible parking system that serves residents, businesses, visitors, and seasonal needs
Downtown New Bedford is an active center that marries history, art, academic institutions, and a waterfront vibe. As the city grows, the need for coordinated, efficient, and sustainable parking management has become apparent. So, the Commonwealth, City, and New Bedford Port Authority (NBPA) initiated a parking study.
Working for this collaborative group, Stantec collected a comprehensive inventory and utilization data for all public and private parking in the downtown and waterfront areas. To solicit community feedback, we led public engagement workshops and met with key stakeholders to identify parking management challenges and impacts. We also distributed an online survey to help maximize citywide participation. Our findings resulted in recommendations such as adjusting parking prices to match demand. Additionally, we identified safety improvements and transformed community feedback into strategies that will improve wayfinding and signage, the payment system, and enforcement.
Our plan to create a user-friendly, financially sustainable parking system for New Bedford has already been well-received. City Council’s approval of our price adjustment recommendation is setting up the system to not only earn more revenue but also cater to the needs and budgets of all users.
At a Glance
- Offices
Liza Cohen, Senior Associate
I believe that good transportation planning gives people options, not a one-size-fits-all solution.
Jason Schrieber, Senior Principal
Mobility is not about moving vehicles. It’s about giving all people better access to their daily needs in a smart, equitable and efficient manner. Whether by car, bus, bike, scooter or on foot, multi-modal travel is our passion.
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