Columbia parking garages could get new enforcement

A new method of parking enforcement could come to Columbia’s six downtown garages.

The Columbia City Council will consider a project to install electronic arm gates at the entrances and exits of the parking garages. The $886,000 project would require drivers to grab a ticket when they enter the garage, turn the ticket in before they leave and pay for how long they stayed. Money for the project comes from parking fees and permit purchases.

The six garages downtown use different methods of payment. Some garages require people to enter their parking space number at a terminal and place a ticket on their dashboard. All contain a mix of hourly-paid spots and spaces held for permit-holders, but their arrangements vary from garage to garage.

Public Works staff said the arm gate systems will make the parking garages more consistent and easier to use. The new software the vendor will provide will help track occupancy of each garage, and make collection of parking fees easier. Second Ward City Councilman Michael Trapp liked the plan, and hoped the arms would make the garages usable for people intimidated by Columbia’s downtown space.

“If Columbia’s the biggest city they’ve ever lived in, garages can be daunting,” Trapp said. “So having one uniform way for how all the garages work are going to make them more usable by all of our citizens, and continue to make downtown a welcoming place.”

Just who would be doing the work for the city, if approved, remains under seal. Public Works spokesman Barry Dalton said that because the city has not executed the contract, it would not release the name of the potential vendor. The contract is contingent on the city council providing the money for the project.

Dalton said the vendor estimated Columbia could see a 10 percent increase in hourly parking revenue. The arm gate system would require people to pay as they leave. The estimate comes from the vendor’s previous work in this field, Dalton said.

Trapp believed the city was losing out on parking revenue from drivers who try to quickly get business done downtown. As Columbia grows, garages will become the only way to add parking spaces downtown. Managing garages more efficiently may help the city plan for future growth of the garages.