Chatham parking study: staff finds parking capacity exists but is unevenly used; 300,000 summer pedestrian counts reported

Staff from the Cape Cod Commission presented preliminary results from a Chatham parking and circulation study that found uneven utilization across downtown lots and high pedestrian volumes during the summer.

Dave Nolan, senior transportation planner, said data collection this summer included hourly parking‑lot counts on four days, turning movement counts, vehicle speed and size observations, and a long‑term pedestrian counter. "We actually ended up having over 300,000 users pass this counter," Nolan reported, and a 12‑hour non‑motorist count on July 3 recorded roughly 6,000 pedestrian movements in each direction at one downtown site.

Nolan said several public lots were repeatedly over capacity during counted hours while other public lots (including an elementary school lot that allows public parking) were underused. "There isn't a lack of parking. There's a lack of spreading out where people are parking," Nolan said, explaining staff will investigate strategies to direct drivers to underused lots and improve wayfinding.

Staff described possible management strategies under study: unified signage and wayfinding, encouraging walking and biking, shuttle services, short‑term limits in the Main Street core, and targeted outreach to merchants and the public. The study will continue with merchant meetings this winter, a larger public meeting in spring, and a draft report expected in summer with a final report next fall.

Nolan said the project aims to balance safety, accessibility and efficiency while testing low‑cost management strategies before recommending capital changes.