Shop owners in Louisville's NuLu district say a new paid parking system rolled out earlier this year is scaring away the neighborhood's local customers, even as tourists keep feeding the meters. Business leaders say confusing signage, strict enforcement and the simple sting of paying to park before paying to shop have combined to thin out foot traffic on some of the district's busiest blocks.
Earlier this year, the Parking Authority of River City, known as PARC, introduced hourly paid on-street parking in designated areas of NuLu, according to WLKY. The rollout covered designated sections of East Market Street and East Jefferson Street, along with five north-south streets between Main and Jefferson, per Louisville Business First. Street parking costs $2.25 for the first two hours and $3.35 for each additional hour, with pay-by-hour parking enforced between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., and drivers can pay by meter, app or a designated solar-powered pay station, WLKY previously reported.
PARC has said the new system was designed to make parking easier and keep more spaces open for visitors, according to the station's earlier report. But Katie Meinhart, president of the NuLu Business Association, said she believes some customers are staying away because of the added cost. “They're not coming because they're paying multiple dollars to then come in and pay money to shop in our stores,” Meinhart said.
Confusing Signs, Strict Enforcement
Meinhart told WDRB that parking rates vary by zone, the signs explaining where and how to park aren't clear, and enforcement has been strict, all of which she says is hurting her business, according to WDRB. She said better signage is needed to explain parking configurations and meters so customers aren't caught off guard. Some NuLu businesses now want paid parking ended entirely and free parking restored, Meinhart said, while others are asking for at least a free parking period for customers.
Tabitha Bishop, who works at Le Lieu on South Shelby Street, said she recently received a parking ticket while stopping in for coffee. She believes the parking changes have cut into local customer traffic at her shop. “It's definitely cut down on our local traffic a lot,” Bishop said. “I feel like tourists are still paying it, but local people are not shopping as much.”
Drivers Feel the Pinch Too
It's not just shop owners who are frustrated. Driver Mark Gaff said paying to park can make it harder to support local businesses. “I would really like to be able to support small businesses,” Gaff said. “And it seems like Louisville doesn't make it easy.”
PARC has said it has issued more than 100 employee parking passes for NuLu workers and will consider expanding employee parking areas if demand increases, per the same WDRB report. Meinhart said an agreement was reached on passes for employees, but she wants that program expanded to cover the more than 400 employees who work in NuLu.
A Streetscape Makeover Without More Parking
The parking changes followed a major streetscape overhaul that transformed NuLu in February, according to WLKY. The $12 million East Market Streetscape project added a protected bike lane, wider sidewalks, improved crosswalks and curb ramps, and landscaped medians, reported The Courier-Journal. The project had sat on the drawing board for more than a decade before wrapping up after a little over a year of construction, according to WAVE.
Notably, the streetscape project did not add any new parking, WAVE reported. Sarah Blazin, manager of Muth's Candies, said at the time that the neighborhood already had parking problems and worried the improvements could make things worse by drawing more visitors. NuLu Business Association Vice President Adam Caperton said business owners hope for more parking solutions but also recognize the value of accessibility, outdoor retail space and a pedestrian-friendly environment.
