The Columbus Dispatch

Notably missing in the plans is a friendly attitude to visitors from a few miles away. Parking downtown is very expensive, severely limited in availability in many key areas and heavily enforced with an eye on revenue generation and nothing else. While I work downtown, everyone I know skidaddles the instant we're off work and we never go back for anything because of the draconian enforcement. And the Short North? Forgetaboutit!

And they wonder why Polaris and Easton and Tuttle are booming while the downtown mall collapsed... Number one rule of business is make it easy to do business with you.

Get rid of the buses along High and Broad Streets and replace those routes w/ light rail.

Mike wrote:

Get rid of the buses along High and Broad Streets and replace those routes w/ light rail.

I enthusiastically agree but that light rail must be under the street to improve the quality of safety and flow of traffic if it is going to reap a genuine return in quality of life improvement. You can't put a train in the middle of our streets with cars, trucks, bicycles, and pedestrians too.
What do i know after 24 years driving a cab in Columbus?
Subways are what make the New York taxi industry a boom town for flag down fares.
People actually do leave the car at home then hail a cab.
If Columbus ever wants to be the greatest city in anyones imagination but its own, it's only going to happen riding a subway. I don't even need to check before hazarding a guess the Washington DC bike station is tied to the Metro in some fashion.
The gold standard DC Metro is proof transportation common sense is possible in a capital city.
I would have happily said where to find the Yen to build a world class subway too if CSO had not wrongfully fired Maestro Hirokami. He seriously wanted to bring investors here. oi vey

Powell Guy wrote:

Notably missing in the plans is a friendly attitude to visitors from a few miles away. Parking downtown is very expensive, severely limited in availability in many key areas and heavily enforced with an eye on revenue generation and nothing else. While I work downtown, everyone I know skidaddles the instant we're off work and we never go back for anything because of the draconian enforcement. And the Short North? Forgetaboutit!
And they wonder why Polaris and Easton and Tuttle are booming while the downtown mall collapsed... Number one rule of business is make it easy to do business with you.

A few weekends ago I parked at the Chestnut Street lot behind Nationwide and Crowne Plaza... After about 6 hours my cost came to $4. I was pleasantly surprised by the low price.

Last time I tried to park in that area on the street... I ended up with a $30 ticket.

I agree that we need a commuter rail. But High Street is WAY too congested as it is.

On High Street you have
* cars
* busses
* Cabs (which are out of control)
* pedi-caps (which are a huge hassle)
* valet parkers
* people stopping traffic just to wait curbside to pick up / drop off their lazy friends.
* an increasing number of bycylists who swerve around like they have no sense of balance.

I honestly can't imagine adding a trolley system to High Street. Maybe 4th & Summit but not High Street.

Nationwide will get more of our tax money and Colman will give it to them.

Powell Guy wrote:

Notably missing in the plans is a friendly attitude to visitors from a few miles away. Parking downtown is very expensive, severely limited in availability in many key areas and heavily enforced with an eye on revenue generation and nothing else. While I work downtown, everyone I know skidaddles the instant we're off work and we never go back for anything because of the draconian enforcement. And the Short North? Forgetaboutit!
And they wonder why Polaris and Easton and Tuttle are booming while the downtown mall collapsed... Number one rule of business is make it easy to do business with you.

Street and garage parking is readily available and cheap in comparison to many cities the size of Columbus. Sometimes you might have to walk a couple of blocks to get where you are going, but that isn't unreasonable.

LOL wrote:

<quoted text>
Street and garage parking is readily available and cheap in comparison to many cities the size of Columbus. Sometimes you might have to walk a couple of blocks to get where you are going, but that isn't unreasonable.

Relatively cheap still doesn't beat the free cost of parking Powell Guy was talking about. Even at $4, that's $4 more than Easton.