Oswego officials: downtown has capacity but wayfinding and signage keep drivers from seeing it

Village staff presented a downtown parking occupancy study to the Committee of the Whole, reporting snapshot counts that show significant under‑utilized capacity and prompting a discussion focused on wayfinding, signage and targeted parking additions.

Rod (staff) reported hourly snapshot counts and said the study recorded a peak occupancy near 11 a.m. of about 33% and a low of about 26% in the early morning. “The peak of it at 11:00 in the morning was 33% occupied,” Rod said during the presentation.

Several committee members said the numeric data does not match public perception—drivers often assume a downtown is full when they see a few lots filled—and urged more visible signage, maps and communications. “It’s not a capacity issue. It’s a communication issue,” a committee member said, summarizing several speakers’ remarks.

Staff and board members discussed low‑cost and longer‑term options: add simple static maps in printed materials or on kiosks, register municipal lots in Google Maps by clear names, or develop an app. Staff noted recent and planned supply increases: about 60 spaces added on Van Buren Street, 21 spaces planned at the silo property, and a proposed 61 spaces on South Harrison tied to near‑term development projects.

Committee members also raised pedestrian‑quality issues—lighting, sidewalks and crosswalks—that affect whether people are willing to park off‑street and walk to businesses, and suggested short‑term or senior spaces nearer Main Street. The discussion included concerns about kiosk cost and vandalism versus the maintenance burden of a mobile app.

Staff framed the problem in historical context: the downtown parking count cited in the presentation rose from roughly 2,400 parked vehicles in 2017 to about 4,300 in the most recent study, underscoring increased activity and the need to pair wayfinding with added capacity.

The committee asked staff to continue monitoring conditions and to pursue signage and marketing options alongside opportunities to add spaces. No formal policy vote was taken at the meeting.