More Parking Needed in Huntington? Study Says There are Options

Anyone who's been to Huntington Village on a Friday or Saturday night knows the pain of finding parking. It's a given that we would all like more of those prime spots within a block or two of Main Street or New York Avenue. 

But do we need to add more? Or can we make the most out of what we've got? If we build a parking garage, will downtown Huntington lose its suburban village charm?

Most parking spots are, indeed, taken during peak hours in Huntington Village (lunch weekdays, dinner weekends), according to a study released Monday by Manhattan-based traffic consultants Nelson-Nygaard. 

While this finding may lend credence to arguments in favor of adding new parking, they said, there are plenty of other options to consider beforehand. Here are some of their suggestions for working with what we've got: 

• Expand shared-parking strategies to increase access to existing private lots when extra capacity is needed

• Encourage driving alternatives for people who work downtown such as public transportation, bicycles, and rideshares because they often arrive and fill up spaces before peak times

• Manage perceptions of a parking shortage created by certain high-demand spaces that are more frequently occupied. Use meter rates to regulate parking turnover in those areas, e.g. change meter rates or extend metered hours

• Improve signage that points out less-visible parking areas

• Expand and Promote the Paramount Shuttle

• Invest in quality bike parking

• Explore Universal Transit Pass Options

One recommendation for on-street management includes a focus on convenience for paid parking. The town is already taking heed with a pilot program to introduce muni-meters that accept both cash and credit.

While a parking garage is still under consideration for one of three areas -- the New Street lot and the Elm Street among them -- many residents feel that it would change the village "feel." 

Nelson-Nygaard also warned of that effect: "design considerations need much more careful consideration here, as the visual and functional impact of a hastily designed facility can have a significant, negative impact on the overall feel and walkable quality of downtown." 

The parking study was commissioned in 2012 at a cost of roughly $35,000 shared by a consortium of the Town, the Town of Huntington Economic Development Corp., the Huntington Village Business Improvement District, the Huntington Township Chamber of Commerce and the Paramount Theater. 

Nelson-Nygaard surveyed residents, employees, business owners and consumers and studied parking patterns. The consortium will now consider the findings and recommendations.

“On behalf of all the consortium members, I thank Nelson Nygaard for this study, which has given us much to think about as we go forward with efforts to improve parking in one of Long Island’s most vibrant downtown areas,” Supervisor Frank Petrone said.

The full parking study is available on the Town of Huntington's website.