Como Park Traffic & Parking
Como Park now attracts more than 3 million visitors per year. Originally designed as “an outdoor haven for the area’s urban population”, Como Park visitors often are frustrated by full parking lots and and traffic congestion.
Como Regional Park Transportation Implementation Plan
A plan is needed that will address long and short term transportation and parking needs of Como Regional Park, while also balancing the needs of the surrounding neighborhoods. A group known as Project Advisory Committee (PAC) has been formed to provide input and guidance that is representative of the various groups sitting on the committee, but that also works toward collaborative solutions that balance the interests of the park with the interests of the surrounding neighborhoods. The PAC will play a key role in project decision-making by providing input and guidance throughout the project process.
A number of considerations will be taken into account including the current park master plan, surrounding neighborhoods, historic elements of the park, preservation of green space, and planned park improvements. The result of this project will be a Como Regional Park Transportation Implementation Plan (TIP) that will be used in planning future transportation improvements for the park.
Project Advisory Committee
PAC members are listed below. Michelle Furrer, City of St. Paul, will serve as the primary point of contact for the PAC. Mike Foertsch of Kimley-Horn will serve as the primary point of contact for the consultant team.
- Michelle Furrer – City of St. Paul, Director/Campus Manager, Como Park Zoo and Conservatory (Committee Chair)
- Glenn Baron – Lancer-Como Town
- Triesta Brown – District 6 Neighborhood Council
- Karen Clark – St. Paul Parks and Recreation, Operations
- Don Ganje – St. Paul Parks and Recreation
- Steve Grans – Minnesota State Fair
- Samantha Henningson – St. Paul Ward 4
- Annie Johnson – St. Paul Ward 5 (alternate)
- Karin Misiewizc – St. Paul Parks and Recreation, Maintenance
- Bryan Murphy – St. Paul Parks and Recreation, Landscape Architecture
- Dennis O’Rourke – District 10 Neighborhood Council
- Ann Olson – St. Paul Ward 5
- Paul Prior – St. Paul Park and Recreation
- Jackie Sticha – Como Friends
- Elizabeth Stiffler – St. Paul Public Works
- Mary Wawro – District 6 Neighborhood Council (alternate)
- Sally Worku – District 10 Neighborhood Council (alternate)
Public meeting to inform and request input
A public meeting was held Aug 12 to provide an
- update on project progress
- present preliminary recommendations/options
- receive input on recommendations/options
Your input and feedback will be used to create a comprehensive package of final recommendations and complete the phasing/staging of the project. Video coverage of the Presentation are below. Double clicking on the video will open a new window with options for full-screen high definition viewing.
Video I – Introducion
Video II – Presentation
Video III – Overview
How to provide ideas about Como Park traffic and parking
Your can TAKE A SURVEY ON YOUR THOUGHTS OF THE CONCEPTS – Open through August 27, 2010. (Clicking on the link in blue will take you to an on line survey)
Summary of Recomendations
- Reduce or eliminate intersection conflicts and congestion at the Lexington Parkway/Horton
- Avenue, Horton Avenue/Midway Parkway, and Hamline Avenue/Midway Parkway intersections.
- Provide a convenient designated visitor and shuttle loading/unloading location.
- Provide a convenient designated bus loading/unloading and parking location.
- Distribute traffic on the roadways in and around the park by providing more than one option to
- access an area.
- Provide additional parking spaces within a 5-minute walk radius of the Zoo/Conservatory/Como
- Town to meet the parking demand during the Average Summer Peak.
- Implement paid parking in the most heavily used parking areas, with free parking at the shuttle
- lot and other less-used parking areas
- Provide parking information to visitors to reduce vehicles circulating to find parking
- Purchase or construct a permanent shuttle lot with a capacity of approximately 500 parking
- spaces located within 2 miles of the Park.
- Convert the current shuttle into a circulator to serve the busiest areas of the Park.
- Provide shelters at the Metro Transit bus stops
- Provide shelters and information kiosks at the Como Shuttle stops
- Provide convenient and safe pedestrian/bicycle facilities between bus/shuttle stops, the
- sidewalk/trail system, and the major attractions of the Park
- Provide improved north/south and east/west bicycle and pedestrian facilities through the Park
- Provide a safer pedestrian/bicycle crossing of Lexington Parkway between the lake and golf course
- Provide an additional pedestrian/bicycle crossing of the BNSF tracks
- Provide wayfinding and parking information for vehicles and pedestrians for all major areas of the Park
- Direct visitors to the park via multiple routes to distribute traffic among various routes
Go to the Saint Paul CRPTIP webpage for more information and downloads
The City of Saint Paul website has a page full of information about the Como Regional Park Transportation Implementation Plan (click to view). There is also a Project Advisory Committee webpage with links to minutes and data from each of their meetings.
