main street research project - Academic Technology Center ...

kiosk does not return bills or give change. In addition, there is no way to add time to the initial
purchase. Currently, none of the Main Street area lots have been changed over to the Pay-by
Space Parking Meter Program. Some of the problems with the current parking situation on Main
Street, such as the confusion with the colored post system and the current condition of parking
meters, will be relieved by the implementation of the new Pay-by-Space Parking Meter Program.
Business Owner Perspective
In addition to the public parking lots and the metered street parking, there are also areas of free
parallel street parking and many private lots owned by individual businesses. Private lots often
have signs restricting who can park there. Despite the variety of parking options available in the
downtown Waltham area, many of the Main Street business owners feel that parking is
inadequate. Sixty percent of business owner‘s survey respondents answered ―very dissatisfied‖
or ―dissatisfied‖ with the parking availability aspect of Main Street. When asked to elaborate on
the aspects they were dissatisfied with, several business owners commented on parking.
Comments made include ―not enough parking spaces‖ and ―parking is terrible.‖
ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION
In addition to driving to Waltham‘s Main Street, there is a wide variety of other transportation
options available to the customers of Main Street businesses. The area surrounding Waltham‘s
Main Street is a heavily populated residential area. Those living in close proximity to Main
Street have the options of walking or traveling by bicycle. However, the option of walking is
made less desirable by the current perceptions of the safety of the area and conditions of
sidewalks. Bicycling is also a viable mode of transportation that could be utilized by even more
Waltham residents. Currently, there is not a bicycle lane on Main Street and this presents a safety
concern for those who choose to travel by bicycle. Main Street also lacks bicycle racks for
customers to use while they are inside Main Street businesses. The addition of a bicycle lane and
more bicycle racks would encourage more people to travel this way. The MBTA bus lines and
commuter rail provide a convenient way for residents of the Greater Boston Area to travel to
Waltham‘s downtown area from further locations. If consumers were encouraged to better utilize
these alternative methods of transportation, it would increase the number of customers that visit
Main Street businesses. Alternative modes of transportation would also help to alleviate some the
problems of traffic and parking availability.
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