Downtown Phoenix growth, construction, events lead to parking puzzle

PHOENIX – The downtown area has seen significant growth over the last several years, and the
influx of people has increased the parking demand.

R.J. Price, chief growth officer at Downtown Phoenix Inc., said the downtown population has
tripled since 2000, but that the best indicator for the health of downtown Phoenix are its
sidewalks, which have never been more energized, vibrant and full than in 2023.

“We were never expected to be a place that people were going to do vertical living and live in the
middle of downtown,” Price said. Fast forward to 2023, and more than 12,000 residential units
have been built, with 4,000 more under construction.

Due to the population growth and ongoing construction of new housing and other projects,
parking is a common complaint.

“I moved in at Kenect Phoenix, and the parking garage fee is out of my price range,” said
Chanon Wang, an Arizona State University senior and downtown Phoenix resident who has lived
at his apartment at Polk Street and Central Avenue for six months. “Most of the time I park at
one of the meters nearby. They're cheap.”

Kenect Phoenix offers all-access day parking passes for $40.

As of 2022, downtown Phoenix had 60,254 parking spaces, including lots, garages, meters and
curb parking, according to a city of Phoenix study.

Parking garages and lots

The majority of parking downtown is in garages – more than 38,000 spaces, according to the
city’s study.
ACE manages 23 garages downtown and at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, according
to Bill Kepp, executive vice president of ACE Parking. The company also manages some surface
lots.

“We have seen incremental increases to both transient and monthly rates at most of our facilities
in the past two years,” Kepp said. “Parking facilities are a part of the same economy as all other
services, and we have seen increases in prices that reflect the overall rising costs of all goods and
services.”
The city’s comprehensive parking study done last year evaluated the supply and demand of the
existing parking inventory in the downtown area.

According to the study, garage parking makes up approximately 65% of all parking in downtown
Phoenix.

The study included the area roughly from Buckeye Road to just north of McDowell Road and
Seventh Avenue to Seventh Street.

Special events are a huge part of the downtown Phoenix economy, from First Friday to Phoenix
Suns and Mercury games to events at the Phoenix Convention Center to the recent Arizona
Diamondbacks World Series games.

“Whenever there is an event where attendees are expected to exit all at once, we charge an event
rate upon entry to make egress easier on parkers,” Kepp said, noting parking prices vary at each
ACE location.

Many people attending these events have to deal with extensive traffic and road closures and
have to pay higher prices to park in private or city-owned garages or lots.

City-owned off-street parking is generally $15 daily and $60 to $75 monthly, depending on the
facility.

On-street parking is limited in downtown Phoenix due to ongoing construction in the area.

Kepp said construction lane closures cause delays for people looking for parking. “ACE works
with the city of Phoenix to advocate for our facilities and limit lane restrictions to times when
our garages have minimal demand.”

Phoenix’s Street Transportation Department's Right-of-Way Management Office coordinates

traffic control for temporary street closures and restrictions related to construction and
maintenance projects, plus special events and block parties.

Visitors have to weigh a number of factors when choosing where to travel and park. These
include cost, convenience and proximity to their destination.

Parking meters

The Street Transportation Department operates approximately 2,000 parking meters in the
downtown, uptown, Capitol and Phoenix College areas and is “continually considering changes
and improvements to transportation infrastructure to ensure efficient and safe travel for all users
of city roadways, including drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians,” said Gregg Bach, spokesperson
for the department.

All parking meters are enforced daily between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. Many meters cost $1.50 per
hour, and some cost $1 per hour. Time limits at metered locations can range from 15 minutes to
as long as eight hours. In most areas, the maximum duration is two hours.

“Parking meters are placed in areas where parking turnover is desired to support activity related
to retail, commercial and dining destinations,” Bach said. “The two-hour time limit is appropriate
for visitors participating in those activities.”

On-street metered parking is free overnight from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m.

The department maintains and collects coins from the meters, though many can be paid by debit
or credit card or a parking mobile app. The Phoenix Police Department manages parking and
expired meter enforcement.

According to the city of Phoenix study, parking issues are too complex and widespread for status
quo approaches to management. The city needs to provide more focused, coordinated, and
strategic attention to daily management and delivery of near- and long-term parking solutions.