Council Considers Parking Reforms and Approves Heivly Street Redesign for 2025

DECORAH — On Monday, September 23, The Decorah City Council convened for a special session to discuss downtown parking and the 2025 Street Plan with City Engineer John Hjelle. Downtown Parking The first discussion of the evening revolved around downtown parking availability. Water Street, initially paved in 1997 to replace a 50-year-old concrete road once part of the state and federal highway system, has since seen significant changes in traffic patterns, parking availability and residential occupancy. Hjelle produced several documents that detailed the efforts of past city councils to analyze parking trends in the downtown area. During the leadup to the 1997 construction, city leaders consulted extensively with stakeholder groups on parking, aesthetics, and accessibility. One group focused on parking kept meticulous records, totaling 238 pages, provided to then-City Engineer Jeremy Bril. This group met with consultants and distributed questionnaires, dedicating three years to parking analysis. The following are key findings from a 1996 questionnaire: Approximately 600 on-street and 400 public off-street parking spaces existed downtown at the time, with a recommended walking distance from parking stall to destination of 2-3 blocks. The central business district housed 835 employees. Around 175 apartments were identified, with 150 in use. "There [were] some, I would say, overestimates of the number of housing units that were downtown," Hjelle said. "They said that there were approximately 175 apartments with 150 in use." According to Hjelle, a new parking study from Building Official Greg Swanson and Administration Assistant Leslie White has since revised previous figures, including private and leasable parking, and now shows 55 rental units in downtown and revised parking availability. Maps attached to the council's review identified available rental units and parking spaces, including roughly 92 overnight stalls. In 2024, downtown changes are anticipated to include the addition of 12+ rental units, the potential loss of 22 parking stalls in the 48-hour lot, and new leased parking spaces—including a 12-stall lot on Block 10 and future plans for a 45-stall leased/private lot on Block 9. The overnight parking report estimates occupancy rates of: 50% to 75% on blocks 17, 18, and 26 of Washington Street. Approximately 25% on Heivly Street and north of Hotel Winneshiek, along block 27 of Washington Street. Minimal use of blocks 15 of State Street and 25 of Washington Street. Based on the findings of the 2024 study, the council agreed that overnight parking is available, with certain lots being underutilized due to inconvenient locations and distance from housing units. "When you get to those lots that are far away that are like, zero to fifteen percent usage, there's a reason for that," Councilman Brent Parker said, "They're like three or four blocks away. People have kids, you know? People aren't going to park down there. Heivly Street's not utilized, it's pretty treacherous to park your car there, especially in the morning loading stuff up. Even if there are parking options a few blocks away from downtown, I kind of like it as 'Can we just provide a better quality of life for those people who live down there?'" "It just begs the question," Councilwoman Emily Neal stated. "Why do we have to have designated areas? Why is it that we can't just have a permitting system, and then maybe an overnight lot for people who don't have a permit, but need to leave their car downtown… Why this whole like, 'park in the blue hashtag, and not the green one over?'" Hjelle also noted that he believed that retail customers should be given priority for parking on Water Street and the two major retail streets, Winnebago and Washington. The Council indicated that they wanted to open up lots 11, A, and B for overnight parking, as well as permitted parking along the North Alley and C, as labeled on the map provided. 2025 Street Plan Discussion shifted to a review of the proposed 2025 Street Plan, which includes significant improvements to Heivly Street from College Drive to River Street. Hjelle presented the redesign plans from Erdman Engineering, which are scheduled to begin construction in early 2025. The project aims to improve road conditions, public utilities, and pedestrian access. Key features of the Heivly Street redesign include reducing the width of the road from 40 feet to 34 feet between College Drive and Mill Street to allow parking on one side and create a 10-foot-wide sidewalk and bike path. East of Mill Street, the street will expand to 43 feet to accommodate parking on both sides, and a 6-foot grass boulevard will be added along the north side of the road. Phase one of the project is expected to conclude near the Fire Station driveway, with a traffic circle or standard intersection planned for River Street in 2026 during phase two. The project also includes the reconstruction of public utilities, such as water, sanitary, and storm systems, with private utilities being converted from overhead to underground. The intersection at College Drive will be reconfigured to include a bike lane and updated traffic signals. The estimated cost of the Heivly Street improvements is $2.86 million, which will be funded through a combination of Local Option Sales Tax (LOST), stormwater funds, water/sewer revenue, and sidewalk assessments. Other street projects planned for 2025 include $250,000 for Quarry Street reconstruction, $350,000 for preventative street maintenance, and $225,000 for dump truck replacements. The total estimated budget for street-related projects between 2025 and 2029 is $13.3 million. Additional stormwater improvements, including mitigation banking and storm sewer infrastructure projects, will cost approximately $6.78 million over the same period. Funding for these projects is still being determined, with various options under consideration, including grants, bonds and cash reserves. Elevate your inbox with the DecorahNews.com newsletter! Receive free thought-provoking articles, actionable advice and inspiring stories every week.