So many cars, so few convenient parking spaces. We need solutions for the many who can’t find a handy spot for ol’ Sparky when they’re doing that downtown thing. How about:
1. To handle overflow, build several parking bridges spanning across the river. After all, it’s underused space. Nobody would miss it.
2. Heck, maybe re-route the river to send it around by the industrial park and use that whole darn old riverbed for free parking.
3. The Great Hall at the Grand Theater is often idle … why not put in garage doors?
4. Speaking of the Grand Theater itself, three words: removable folding chairs.
5. Actually pay motorists to use the various parking garages.
6. Or tear down those garages and create more street-level parking.
7. Hoists.
8. There must still be Prohibition-era escape tunnels down there.
9. The 400 Block, obviously.
10. Claim, by eminent domain, any and all private garages and yards in the immediate area, and gobble up Back When’s dining patio.
11. Eliminate at least one Asian restaurant … go from spring rolls to steamroller.
12. Drive-through lanes for every business.
13. If any storefront goes vacant, it’s outta here!
Jim Carlson
11:36 am on November 21st
Tom,
Well thought out article. Here are a few of my own:
1. Park up on the plaza at the M&I building. After hours, obviously.
2. If they can pull cars in the Wausau Center to encourage auto sales, certainly there is room for a few customer vehicles in those wide hallways.
3. Vacant store fronts/mall areas: Pull on in!
4. The parking lot under The Palladian. Who is using the spaces for the unsold condos? Raffle ‘em off.
5. Churches are usually only used on Sunday. Push the pews to the front, park in the back.
I am proud that Citizen Wausau is finally taking on such serious issues with real world solutions.
Dino Corvino
2:51 pm on November 21st
Did you hear there is a secret under ground bunker of spaces undere the Cobblery?
Who are those for?
Tom Neal
3:33 pm on November 21st
Elves.
Dino Corvino
3:58 pm on November 21st
That explains it.