PARKERSBURG - About 50 new bright blue signs are being erected near downtown Parkersburg to help guide visitors to available public parking.
City Development Director Ann Conageski said the efforts are the result of the On Trac Committee's parking committee.
"The city has had four parking surveys done since 1992 and many of them say the same thing: the parking is not clear to many coming into downtown."
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The city of Parkersburg is erecting signs showing motorists coming into downtown Parkersburg where to find public parking.
As motorists come into downtown from the outskirts signs will point the way to available public parking, Conageski said.
Rickie Yeager, city planning director, said officials have discovered much of the downtown parking is underutilized.
"We think that's because people don't know where to park," he said.
Conageski said many are unaware of the city's metered lot at Fifth and Green. The city has three lots with 135 spaces.
"The municipal lots are not well marked," Conageski said.
"There have never been any signs for public parking downtown," Mayor Bob Newell said.
Dan Huffman with the city's parking department said more than 3,000 public and private parking spots are located downtown. Grand Central Mall, by comparison, has about 5,200 spots.
Yeager said officials have discovered many of the downtown lots are underutilized. He said there are more than 500 empty monthly rental parking spots downtown.
City crews are in the process of erecting about 50 signs near downtown to direct motorists to downtown parking. Conageski said available lots will be identified with a large "P."
Several of the signs are already up, and Huffman is hoping the project will be complete by the end of the month.
