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oh yay more parking for Five Points >.> We need more Walkability in Five Points. its a Village and needs to start acting like one. those Thin Sidewalks are a mess to walk around when its crowded. we need a road diet and eliminate parking throughout Five Points and make it limited. add bike lanes and actually make the District Walkable where people will be willing to walk bike or take transit to get to the district instead of driving clogging up the roads and searching for parking.
Everything else in this list seems like a great idea just that whole parking garage thing got me upset. there could be a dense development there instead of more space for cars.
Idk if you know or not but Harden is already set for a road diet. And is it really fair to expect such a popular place, even in any city, to have zero parking garages? I mean, if this were in a bigger metro with even commuter rail level public transit, it’d still have one parking garage at a minimum. At some point there is such thing as being unreasonable.
Idk if you know or not but Harden is already set for a road diet. And is it really fair to expect such a popular place, even in any city, to have zero parking garages? I mean, if this were in a bigger metro with even commuter rail level public transit, it’d still have one parking garage at a minimum. At some point there is such thing as being unreasonable.
I really don't understand so much opposition to parking. We live in the south where most of our state is rural and we have a very spread out small metro. Most people that live in the south prefer to drive to a location instead of walking, biking, or taking transit especially during our very hot summers. It seems that we want to get rid of a convenience that large metros don't have but wish they did. Our population doesn't really call for mass transit, and most of the larger metros have more parking but are just overpopulated. Living in this city with Atlanta and Charlotte so close I would of expected less crowding and more parking to be one of the perks.
Idk if you know or not but Harden is already set for a road diet. And is it really fair to expect such a popular place, even in any city, to have zero parking garages? I mean, if this were in a bigger metro with even commuter rail level public transit, it’d still have one parking garage at a minimum. At some point there is such thing as being unreasonable.
I went down to Five Points yesterday (Sunday) at 5 PM and there was no parking available on Harden on the block of the new Jack Browns spot, down Devine to Saluda or in the former Exxon location that is now a city parking lot. Any new development is going to require a parking garage. The only large areas to park down there are the Food Lion parking lot and the garage attached to the former state probate office that is suppose to be converted into apartments. You can’t entice business development and alienate 95% or more of your population in the name of “walkability.” Let’s be honest the mass transit system in Columbia is a bus for those that can’t afford a car. It’s not convenient or reasonable to anyone who has a car. I could also make the case that a garage on the perimeter or the district would make it safer for pedestrians and cyclists as you would not longer have people circling the area looking for parking.
I really don't understand so much opposition to parking. We live in the south where most of our state is rural and we have a very spread out small metro. Most people that live in the south prefer to drive to a location instead of walking, biking, or taking transit especially during our very hot summers. It seems that we want to get rid of a convenience that large metros don't have but wish they did. Our population doesn't really call for mass transit, and most of the larger metros have more parking but are just overpopulated. Living in this city with Atlanta and Charlotte so close I would of expected less crowding and more parking to be one of the perks.
I think the answer lies somewhere in between this position and Growingup’s position. Building new roads and parking lots don’t work to reduce traffic or demand for parking. In fact, they have the opposite effect because they induce more of what they were trying to reduce. For example, if more people living within a mile or so of Five Points walked, biked, or took a bus this past Sunday, there would have been more parking available for people who live too far away or didn’t want to use those options.
You have to start somewhere and for Columbia, that should mean planning for and building a more compact, walkable city now while we have the chance. There’s been a big shift in the this country, including places like South Carolina, where people want to have mobility options other than just driving and parking everywhere. The Comet is a tool of necessity now but in 20 years, if we plan correctly, it may be something people use because it’s more convenient.
Compare Portland, Oregon and Charlotte. Both are similarly sized. Portland, however, has a very popular transit system because decades ago the city focused on density, smart planning, and making transit options attractive. Now, it’s easy to walk, bike, or take transit anywhere in Portland. None of those things are true for Charlotte because Charlotte didn’t plan for it back then.
If we continue with the same practices, we’ll end up with the same problems of larger Southern cities like Atlanta and Charlotte and basically be a series of sprawling suburbs reliant on the car for mobility.
I think the answer lies somewhere in between this position and Growingup’s position. Building new roads and parking lots don’t work to reduce traffic or demand for parking. In fact, they have the opposite effect because they induce more of what they were trying to reduce. For example, if more people living within a mile or so of Five Points walked, biked, or took a bus this past Sunday, there would have been more parking available for people who live too far away or didn’t want to use those options.
You have to start somewhere and for Columbia, that should mean planning for and building a more compact, walkable city now while we have the chance. There’s been a big shift in the this country, including places like South Carolina, where people want to have mobility options other than just driving and parking everywhere. The Comet is a tool of necessity now but in 20 years, if we plan correctly, it may be something people use because it’s more convenient.
Compare Portland, Oregon and Charlotte. Both are similarly sized. Portland, however, has a very popular transit system because decades ago the city focused on density, smart planning, and making transit options attractive. Now, it’s easy to walk, bike, or take transit anywhere in Portland. None of those things are true for Charlotte because Charlotte didn’t plan for it back then.
If we continue with the same practices, we’ll end up with the same problems of larger Southern cities like Atlanta and Charlotte and basically be a series of sprawling suburbs reliant on the car for mobility.
Right now where I live in the NE, there is no practical way for me to take the Comet. As far as I can tell, no dedicated parking lots to park then take the Comet. It certainly doesn't come all the way out to Lake Carolina. Right now, I have not seen more than 1 person on the Comet at anytime I see it in the NE. I just don't see anyone choosing to use the bus to go downtown when they could simply drive, since we would have to drive to a bus stop anyway. And I can't imagine anyone wanting to leave their vehicle unattended all day while they go downtown.
When I lived in DC, I could walk easily to the Metro and I never needed a car. I just don't see Columbia ever getting there.
I think the answer lies somewhere in between this position and Growingup’s position. Building new roads and parking lots don’t work to reduce traffic or demand for parking. In fact, they have the opposite effect because they induce more of what they were trying to reduce. For example, if more people living within a mile or so of Five Points walked, biked, or took a bus this past Sunday, there would have been more parking available for people who live too far away or didn’t want to use those options.
You have to start somewhere and for Columbia, that should mean planning for and building a more compact, walkable city now while we have the chance. There’s been a big shift in the this country, including places like South Carolina, where people want to have mobility options other than just driving and parking everywhere. The Comet is a tool of necessity now but in 20 years, if we plan correctly, it may be something people use because it’s more convenient.
Compare Portland, Oregon and Charlotte. Both are similarly sized. Portland, however, has a very popular transit system because decades ago the city focused on density, smart planning, and making transit options attractive. Now, it’s easy to walk, bike, or take transit anywhere in Portland. None of those things are true for Charlotte because Charlotte didn’t plan for it back then.
If we continue with the same practices, we’ll end up with the same problems of larger Southern cities like Atlanta and Charlotte and basically be a series of sprawling suburbs reliant on the car for mobility.
I can agree with most of this but as DemanoRock mentioned, I just don't see us getting to that point. I would never won't to live in a huge metro and commuting is one of the major reasons. As far as building new roads and parking, that is a part of infrastructure. Look at Hardscrabble in the NE, that was poor planning for decades that is trying to catch up to the growing population in that area. All of the larger metros you mentioned constantly have either new roads or widening going on to fulfil their needs. Atlanta's metro population is more than the entire state of SC which would explain their NEED for mass transit. Also, many people there need to take transit system because of affordability. Most people that choose to live in Columbia grew up with a car as there only means of transportation and our city is one of the more affordable cities to live in in the country so having a car isn't really a big problem.
Now if we had a vast amount of people that actually lived/worked downtown and our downtown area was actually rather large then I could concur that walkability should be addressed. As it currently stands and for the forseeable future traffic isn't a major concern. I can get home (around 20 miles) in about 30 minutes. If traffic isn't a huge issue downtown then why take away parking? To be honest, if traffic became scarce then most people that commute to the business downtown wouldn't make it a priority.
I can agree with most of this but as DemanoRock mentioned, I just don't see us getting to that point. I would never won't to live in a huge metro and commuting is one of the major reasons. As far as building new roads and parking, that is a part of infrastructure. Look at Hardscrabble in the NE, that was poor planning for decades that is trying to catch up to the growing population in that area. All of the larger metros you mentioned constantly have either new roads or widening going on to fulfil their needs. Atlanta's metro population is more than the entire state of SC which would explain their NEED for mass transit. Also, many people there need to take transit system because of affordability. Most people that choose to live in Columbia grew up with a car as there only means of transportation and our city is one of the more affordable cities to live in in the country so having a car isn't really a big problem.
Now if we had a vast amount of people that actually lived/worked downtown and our downtown area was actually rather large then I could concur that walkability should be addressed. As it currently stands and for the forseeable future traffic isn't a major concern. I can get home (around 20 miles) in about 30 minutes. If traffic isn't a huge issue downtown then why take away parking? To be honest, if traffic became scarce then most people that commute to the business downtown wouldn't make it a priority.
I want to reiterate my point that more and more people, especially younger people, see a car (or at least reliance on a car) as a negative, not a positive. Cities like Atlanta are choked with traffic because of poor planning. Widening roads and building more parking has never and will never solve traffic.
In a well-planned city, more people have more mobility options. There will always be people for whom driving is necessary or preferred, but they, too, benefit when other people have non-automobile transit options because it frees up space on the roads and parking lots.
Atlanta is no one’s idea of a well-built city. I hope Columbia makes better choices while it still can.
I want to reiterate my point that more and more people, especially younger people, see a car (or at least reliance on a car) as a negative, not a positive. Cities like Atlanta are choked with traffic because of poor planning. Widening roads and building more parking has never and will never solve traffic.
In a well-planned city, more people have more mobility options. There will always be people for whom driving is necessary or preferred, but they, too, benefit when other people have non-automobile transit options because it frees up space on the roads and parking lots.
Atlanta is no one’s idea of a well-built city. I hope Columbia makes better choices while it still can.
But you're making my point. Columbia will never be Atlanta and it seems the people saying we need to reduce parking and have more walkability are viewing Columbia as it is on the verge of becoming Atlanta or Charlotte some day. Columbia is built like a small city/college town and that is where it will lie for our lifetime. Even if it were to some day become an attractive city for major businesses, there are too many oppositions that will want it to keep it's character.
But you're making my point. Columbia will never be Atlanta and it seems the people saying we need to reduce parking and have more walkability are viewing Columbia as it is on the verge of becoming Atlanta or Charlotte some day. Columbia is built like a small city/college town and that is where it will lie for our lifetime. Even if it were to some day become an attractive city for major businesses, there are too many oppositions that will want it to keep it's character.
I respectfully disagree with you Big Cat. Columbia has the bones of a big city moreso than a large college town like Athens, Georgia or Gainesville, Florida. Not to mention there's more going for it. Columbia became Columbia because of it being named the next state capital. Then came along little South Carolina college shortly afterwards. USC certainly has certainly imprinted it's existence on Columbia's identity but Columbia isn't there because of USC.
On a different note, Columbia and its metro as a whole look and operates like a car centric city. If you measure from one end of Columbia's sprawl to the western edge of the city of Lexington (Red bank), it's vast. If Columbia continues growing the way it is (and all indications show that it's not going to slow down any time soon), it will continue to sprawl just like Atlanta and Charlotte.
Lastly, there's not the opposition to Columbia keeping it's character (a medium sized city) like you see in cities like Charleston or Savannah and wanting to the keep that certain charm. I don't think there's any sort of opposition to anything Columbia is becoming, is there? I'm not aware. I think if anything people are rooting for Columbia to fill in and became the premier city thats been lying dormant for so long.
Putting Atlanta and Charlotte to the side, if I were to say what Columbia could become in our lifetimes, I could certainly see it turning into an Austin, Texas. Flagstate university, liberal, big sprawl and big traffic.
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