The announcement that a grocery is coming to downtown is exciting. But officials need to take another step.
We need parking downtown. With the potential of a new bridge and improved transit to Portland, a downtown Park & Ride is even more important. City and county officials, bridge, and C-Tran planners should act now to negotiate with the 15th and Main developers to reserve several floors of the new structure for parking. (In the event not all the spaces are used, they can easily be converted later to residential or commercial use.) In exchange, the developer might be granted some exemption from current height restrictions.
This location with easy access to I-5 and the Port of Vancouver, bordered by the Vine route and future Mill Plain BRT route, is also a perfect spot for transit stops. People may want to pick up groceries on their way home. Visitors to the waterfront, downtown or Uptown locations may want to hop on an electric jitney or tram (maybe a double-decker bus) after parking here.
Funding can come from a variety of sources, including bridge, climate action and transit funds. Officials need to act quickly to ensure this opportunity is not missed.
