The City of Fairbanks is preparing two projects in the very near future that will add on-street parking downtown. First, the city will partially remove the bulb-outs on 3rd Avenue east of Cushman Street. Second, the city will re-paint the diagonal parking stripes on 2nd Avenue.
These two projects are expected to add at least six on-street parking spaces (three on 2nd Avenue by re-painting the diagonal spaces at uniform widths plus three on 3rd Avenue where the bulb-outs were).
A future project, it seems, could add additional on-street parking to 3rd Avenue and other parts of the downtown core. (The DTA suggested this informal study as a target for 3rd Avenue parking, where red signifies potential additions.)
Easy, convenient parking is essential to business success downtown. If a single parking space facilitates just $40 worth of sales at local businesses every day, a parking space could be worth about $15,000 over the course of a year. If that figure holds in Fairbanks, there could be $90,000 of new revenue-generating potential added to 2nd and 3rd avenues alone.
Separately, DOT will soon launch its Pedestrian Facility Upgrade project between 12th and 5th Avenues. The Downtown Association has ground-truthed the work plan in hopes of helping DOT project managers and contractors deliver the best possible outcomes. Check the surveyor’s markings yourselves and contact Caroline Maniaci at DOT with questions.