DDA officials hoping to cut down wait time to exit downtown Ann Arbor parking structures
The Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority is borrowing $1.25 million from Republic Parking for installation of new equipment in four downtown parking structures.
That includes automated pay stations that DDA officials hope will significantly reduce wait times for cars leaving parking structures during rush hour.
The DDA's governing board approved the deal on Monday as part of a five-year contract extension with Republic Parking, a private company that manages the structures.
This pay station was in the process of being installed inside the new Library Lane underground parking garage back in April.
Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com
The DDA first entered into a contract with Republic Parking in 2001 and last renewed the contract in 2007. The DDA is agreeing to pay back the $1.25 million, which Republic Parking is fronting for new equipment, at a 6 percent interest rate between now and June 2017.
Treasurer Roger Hewitt said there's a chance the loan could be paid off earlier than that, but the DDA is being fiscally cautious.
"The City Council has been very concerned that we have adequate fund balances," he said. "We anticipate our fund balance after the Library Lane structure is complete will be somewhere around $4 million. We could certainly have gone down lower than that, but we're just being extremely cautious to make sure that we've got adequate fund balances."
The equipment is being installed in the new Library Lane underground parking structure, which opens July 12, as well as another parking structure under construction at First and Washington as part of the Ann Arbor City Apartments project. Two other existing structures — Liberty Square and Fourth and Washington — also are getting new equipment.
"It's a number of different pieces of equipment, but it will allow it so that when you come in and pull a ticket, instead of waiting in line in your car to pay on the way out, you would be able to go to a machine or a booth and pay with a credit card or cash," Hewitt said.
"It validates your ticket," he explained. "And then when you leave you just put the ticket into a machine so you don't have to pay from your car as you're exiting. This should cut down on rush hour lines at the exits of the parking structures."
Hewitt said the DDA and Republic Parking are going to test out the new equipment on a trial basis with no attendants at the Fourth and Washington structure. He said it's also likely there won't be any attendants at Liberty Square, where there aren't any attendants now.
He said the Library Lane structure will have attendants in centrally located booths — not at exits — on both the first level and the second level.
DDA board member John Splitt said DDA officials still are planning to celebrate the grand opening of the new 711-space parking structure at 5 p.m. July 12.
He said some painting and work related to mechanical systems continues but all the concrete work is done and cars theoretically could drive down there at this point if allowed.
"We're anxious to get the new structure online," Hewitt said. "There's a lot of interest and a lot of demand for it. We expect there will be a lot more cars in there within the first six months than we ever were planning for. Barracuda is definitely part of that."
Barracuda Networks recently announced major expansion plans for its local office and expects to move hundreds of employees into the former Borders retail space on Liberty Street, a short walk from the new parking structure. DDA officials expect about 125 to 150 employees of Barracuda initially will get monthly passes for the new structure.
Ryan J. Stanton covers government and politics for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529. You also can follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's email newsletters.
Comments
Eister
Fri, Jul 6, 2012 : 3:43 a.m.
These pay machines do not work as well as they say they do in the article. They claim they will help cut down on lines and help people exit the facilities quicker...but what they dont realize is all it will take is for one person who doesn't know that you have to use the pay machine first before you exit, and they will end up stuck at the exit gate with a whole line of people behind them, in which case they will have to send someone over to help back all the cars up so that one person can back out of the line and use the pay machine...imagine this at rush hour. Not only that but the actual pay machines malfunction many times holding people up, and the machines that you put your ticket into at the exit sometimes dont read the ticket, and then you have to push one of those call buttons and take forever explaining to whoever is on the other end that you have already paid and that the machine is not accepting your ticket...if you dont believe me just pay a visit to the William parking lot across from the library...happens all the time. Great idea guys! :/
truthseeker101
Fri, Jul 6, 2012 : 2:15 a.m.
So some of the employee's that just made contract concessions so that Republic Parking could keep the contract with the DDA and the city of Ann Arbor can now be replaced by machines. Nice
StopCrying
Mon, Jul 9, 2012 : 1:48 p.m.
How many cashiers do you know that get paid over $11 an hour?
whatsupwithMI
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 3:50 a.m.
If only everyone here voted the way the commented.
SMC
Tue, Jul 3, 2012 : 3:54 p.m.
To everyone worried that the machines will be like the ones that replaced the parking meters: they won't be. The system they're describing is the same one used at most airports (visit the deck across from the McNamara terminal at DTW if you want to practice), where you take your ticket with you, then simply insert it into the machine when you return to the structure, pay the amount, retrieve your ticket, and then insert it into another machine as you're driving out, to open the gate. You should already have your ticket in your pocket anyway, as it makes it harder for thieves to steal your car if they have to wait longer and pay more to get it out of the structure they've stolen it from. Really, it couldn't be simpler, as there are no space numbers, PINs, or anything else to remember, and only the selection of cash or credit to make. It's even easier than using an ATM, and you've only had about 35 years to master that form of cutting-edge technology.
Austin
Tue, Jul 3, 2012 : 5:29 p.m.
Glad to hear it! Thanks for the info.
Carole
Tue, Jul 3, 2012 : 3:08 p.m.
My suggestion would be to hire a few more folks to man pay stations instead of spending tons of money for "machines" to collect money. But that would be too rational.
Veracity
Tue, Jul 3, 2012 : 2:35 p.m.
How about the DDA explaining where it will find $1.25 million plus 6% interest to pay off the loan? For the last several years the DDA has spent more money than it has collected as revenue from parking fees and TIF payments. The deficit spending has been covered by a reserve fund that is quickly being depleted and may not have any money left in a year or two. The DDA is attempting to increase revenue by raising parking fees and hoping that new construction will bring it more TIF dollars. Unfortunately, the DDA is defeating its own efforts at increasing TIF revenue by returning most of the TIF collections to developers as reimbursement for Brownfield remuneration and other site and infrastructure expenses. Eventually, Ann Arbor tax payers will have to bail out the DDA by providing new millage funds or by the City imposing an income tax. The DDA can not legally operate with a budget deficit. Write your City Council person and demand that the dysfunctional DDA be dissolved and all its debts absorbed into the City's general budget. Without the DDA, salaries, office rental and operational expenses will be eliminated. The parking facility operations supervision by the DDA can be transferred to the City Administration. More important is preventing the DDA from continued irresponsible fiscal policy. IMHO.
treetowntenor
Tue, Jul 3, 2012 : 2:22 p.m.
Sometimes it takes 2 hours (literally!) to get out of the Maynard Street structure after an event at the Michigan Theater, due to Republic understaffing the booths (only one open). I've had to leave my car there, and get a cab to the sitter's and then home, picking up the car in the morning. Getting Republic to do a decent job would be a much better use of the interest money we will be paying over the next several years. Getting a different company would be even better.
Julius
Tue, Jul 3, 2012 : 2:07 p.m.
How about cutting wait times on the freeways? There are areas I avoid at all costs just because the congestion is so bad. And it's not just the volume of people commuting, it's the refusal to do anything practical about it.
racerx
Tue, Jul 3, 2012 : 1:05 p.m.
I don't see this making much of a difference, especially when upon exiting you're having to wait for traffic to clear on two lane one way streets. The street lights won't be timed, bike lanes to navigate. It's the same with both the Ann St. and Washington structures. Now with the 600 carpark in the middle of downtown this is going to be hilarious! Hope those trapped brought oxygen breathing mask and tanks.
leezee
Tue, Jul 3, 2012 : 12:20 p.m.
The last time I used one of those machines, it took so long to pay that the people behind us started to get really angry. No fun. That was a surface lot. I would rather have my fingernails pulled off one by one than park in a structure. When I want to leave, I want to leave. I don't want to wait - whether it be at pay machine or in a line of cars.
motorcycleminer
Tue, Jul 3, 2012 : 11:54 a.m.
All this complaining about the DDA and its arm twisting parking monopoly..how about having the city council and DDA park in the bomb shelter and open up more street parking for people foolish enough to go downtown in the first place...
Key
Tue, Jul 3, 2012 : 10:32 a.m.
I have been amazed by how long it has taken to enter and park at the 4th and William structure as well as how long it took to exit, waiting in a line to get out for about an hour. The line has been so long that cars began driving in the oncoming lane, preventing entering cars from proceeding. I've sworn off using that structure. To convince me to try the structure again I would need to see a followup article that reports on what the typical wait times were and what the new wait times are. Without this I will continue to avoid the structure.
whatsupwithMI
Tue, Jul 3, 2012 : 12:47 a.m.
Parking company, owning a sweetheart contract with city, makes more money for itself by under-staffing. The fix is: City enables removal of all parking-company staff (more profit for parking company) by handing this company millions. And to top it all off, AA taxpayers fund both the millions, AND subsidize monthly rates for some companies parking downtown and using these structures. AA sure elects the sharpest republicans running on a D ticket you can find anywhere.
UM Rocks
Tue, Jul 3, 2012 : 12:15 a.m.
What about us that have monthly rent paid and still can't get out of 4th and William because the arm won't go up?? They are guaranteed our monthly rent payment buy yet all I hear about is the daily downtowners, who are not guaranteed to come downtown!!!!
Arboriginal
Mon, Jul 2, 2012 : 11:45 p.m.
Man, deez guise is geneyusses!
drew_blows
Mon, Jul 2, 2012 : 11:07 p.m.
The DDA tried this several yrs ago and the machines were removed because customers werent using them when there were cashiers . What the DDA needs to explore is the staffing levels Republic Parking has been able to get away with. Their statistics show when the busy and problematic (2AM) times are and I bet staffing could be improved to get those booths manned. What has happened is that the DDA and RepParking have used the AAPD to solve their staffing problems when customers get upset over their wait. This rarely is the cashiers fault. I have a nephew that works there and he has told me the lengthy processes RPS forces their cashiers to implement when people lose their ticket, lose their wallet, dont have enough money etc. If the cashiers do not follow these lengthy procedures their pay is docked. In my opinion Rep Parking isnt as concerned with getting people out as quickly as they should be.
whatsupwithMI
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 3:46 a.m.
Yes, stairs, capitalism is horrible when a public-funded business deliberately under-staffs as it knows it has a captive audience that can do literally nothing to change the situation. And the managers that should be taking care of the public interest instead make decisions that hugely reward this private interest. Oh, and kill jobs along the way. Or did you mean to be sarcastic and I misinterpreted your tone?
mstairs
Tue, Jul 3, 2012 : 4:18 p.m.
Ron Burgandy said it best. Personal responsibility. It is not unreasonable to expect an adult to pull a parking ticket upon entry and present that same ticket when they exit. Oh my! having available funds to pay for your parking? What a crazy notion! I have received a service (parking) and am now expected to pay for it? Capitalism is horrible.
ypsi
Tue, Jul 3, 2012 : 9:58 a.m.
continuing....{ay for things that were not valid shortages.Republic treats the employees like their personal bank,For example if you under charged someone without a ticket because they came in on Sunday(free parking day)but if they stayed until Monday,Republic would charge them 24 hours even though Sunday was free.Rip offs!
ypsi
Tue, Jul 3, 2012 : 9:48 a.m.
As someone who worked at Republic for a while and quit because they did force you to pay for things that were not v
whatsupwithMI
Tue, Jul 3, 2012 : 12:39 a.m.
His data = shown. Your data = not shown.
StopCrying
Mon, Jul 2, 2012 : 11:11 p.m.
Not true ^
ChrisW
Mon, Jul 2, 2012 : 9:10 p.m.
Austin is right. The user interface is horrible on those devices. I wish they had an option to just insert your credit card on entry and again on exit, like Metro Airport does now. Much faster and easier than the current system and you don't have to guess how much time you'll need.
northside
Mon, Jul 2, 2012 : 8:46 p.m.
What other business physically traps customers inside and then still expects them to pay? It once took me 50 minutes to get out of the Maynard Street garage. The responsible thing would have been for Republic Parking to just let people out. Instead they still took the money - in fact made more because of the excessive wait times.
mstairs
Tue, Jul 3, 2012 : 4:07 p.m.
Madeline, you are a former employee? Did you resign because you did not agree with their business practices?
StopCrying
Tue, Jul 3, 2012 : 3:48 p.m.
So apparently 800 people all leaving a place at once somehow means there is not going to be a bottleneck at the exit? Please be realistic. I guess I do not understand why you expect to use a service and then not pay for it. You always have the option to park in a residential area, walk and then exit free of congestion. Otherwise, stop complaining.
Madeleine Borthwick
Tue, Jul 3, 2012 : 2:01 p.m.
yep, Northside, that's Republic Parking for you and it's no accident. I know, I used to work for them.
northside
Tue, Jul 3, 2012 : 12:58 p.m.
Crying your comparison doesn't make any sense. Try this one: you enter a fast food restaurant and are physically prevented from leaving, even though the service is glacially slow. After being stuck there for 50 minutes you are still forced to pay, and even have to pay more because the price is time-based. Oh, and the Maynard Street garage I was stuck in? It has 800 spaces, not 10,000. Republic Parking understaffs their garages in order to boost profits.
StopCrying
Tue, Jul 3, 2012 : 12:01 p.m.
Northside, how is this any different than paying for your food in a drive thru at one window and then waiting to receive it at the next. Besides the fact that nobody wants to pay for parking of course. (Nobody should want fast food either, but that is a different topic altogether.) Generally the only times I have waited anywhere close to 50 minutes is when an event has just let out, however I have enough common sense to understand that when 5,000-10,000 people are leaving any one area at the same time things will get clogged up.
northside
Tue, Jul 3, 2012 : 10:56 a.m.
I've lived in the bucolic countryside known as metro Detroit for many years. I fully expect highway congestion in certain areas during rush hour or construction season. That's part of life in large urban areas. What this article (and my experience) concerns is a company that routinely understaffs parking garages in order to make a few extra bucks. The result is unreasonably long wait times for people to get out. That's greed, not urban congestion.
GoNavy
Tue, Jul 3, 2012 : 10:28 a.m.
@Northside: Perhaps you're simply used to living in the bucolic countryside. I can assure you that, in larger cities, you can spend far longer amounts of time sitting in traffic of any sort. This includes, but is not limited to, people trying to exit parking structures after sporting or entertainment events, etc.
northside
Tue, Jul 3, 2012 : 2:17 a.m.
@ Stop: It sounds like you've never been in a parking garage, so I'll clue you in on a few basics. You can't just leave when you want. You have to go through a toll booth, pay, and first wait for cars that might be in front of you. @ Navy: Do you think a 50-minute wait to get out of a parking garage is reasonable?
GoNavy
Tue, Jul 3, 2012 : 12:46 a.m.
Hmm, maybe everybody should get out of your way during rush hour?
whatsupwithMI
Tue, Jul 3, 2012 : 12:39 a.m.
Yah, just leave your car behind, incurring more fees. Excellent apologist, you are!
StopCrying
Mon, Jul 2, 2012 : 11:09 p.m.
I am pretty sure you are able to leave whenever you choose to. However if you wish to utilize the luxury of parking in a city you are going to have to pay for your car taking up a space while you are there.
eastsider2
Mon, Jul 2, 2012 : 8:41 p.m.
Agree with #Austin. The pay machines for the street spaces (which replaced meters) have an incredibly slow interface. Lines often form at some. In contrast, the self-pay machine in the lot across from aadl downtown (the old Y site) is better and faster. But please make sure there are enough machines. Lines of people at the machines are just as annoying as lines of cars at the booth. Oh, and watch for the vandalism. Some of the machines are hard to read due to the scratching/painting over the screen.
Austin
Mon, Jul 2, 2012 : 8:27 p.m.
I hope these aren't those awful pay machines that have popped up all over town the last couple of years. Those are wonderful in theory, but they have the worst user interface -- slow, glitchy, and tedious to operate. They could not be less convenient.