Online survey asks downtown Spokane, University District parkers what they want

Spokane is asking for the public’s help in identifying the city’s future parking needs downtown and in the bustling University District.

An online survey will be available through the end of May for residents to weigh in on parking needs, including concerns about the availability and cost of on-street and off-street parking, payment methods and time limits at meters. In addition, the city will host an in-person session 3 p.m.-6 p.m. May 21 near the Looff Carrousel in Riverfront Park to discuss parking options and allow visitors to take the survey on tablets.

Both surveys, one for the University District and one for downtown, are available at the city’s parking website, spokanecity.org/parking. Those who complete the survey will be entered to win a $5 gift card to Atticus Coffee & Gifts.

The responses will be used to inform the results of two parking studies scheduled to be released during the next nine months. The studies, conducted by the firm Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, of San Francisco, will be the first major review of the city’s parking system since 2011.