After a recent parking discussion, Deanne wrote in with this new twist on an old discussion…

Another parking angle to consider: how walkability impacts our physically challenged residents.

I met a neighbor while out petitions-canvassing the other day who said that while she wishes the best for all of us, it’s becoming harder and harder for her to participate in Decatur life because she’s not able to walk the distance from a parking garage to get to her favorite downtown spots. Doesn’t it seem like we might want to ensure that more of the downtown parking spots are handicapped ones? We often discuss aging in place, but physical limitations outside the home need to be considered too.

I can’t recall if the 2009 Parking Study addresses handicap spots – and the study’s been AWOL since the city’s site redesign – but my never-reliable casual observation is that handicap parking on the Square is used about half the time (I walk by).  But unlike the more mobile among us who can easily utilize a nearby parking deck-alternative, a taken handicap spot could mean the difference between an afternoon on the Square and an afternoon at home.