PARKING GARAGE: Other solutions needed

I know we are growing and the crush is on to park downtown now that we have a bustling and vibrant destination that attracts locals and visitors. We are no longer a town but becoming a real city of business, retail, entertainment and recreation. Yet I do not think we should apply the blanket solution of a multi-level parking garage as a silver bullet. Another parking garage is a mere Band-Aid.

Like many cities, we need to broaden our solutions. Bicycles and E bikes are seasonal low tech alternatives for many who eschew the combustible engine. Another underutilized option is the straight route bus service — get folks downtown and back to their homes or hotels. Cities like Bozeman and Boise keep cars off the road and the public moving en masse in their Streamline & Bronco Shuttles.

We have Citylink with one-hour loops A, B and C so generously funded by the Coeur d’Alene Tribe. Sadly, they are rarely full or even occupied on their one-hour loops. A simple, timely trip up and down Ramsey or Fourth Street from downtown to Hayden is not possible in the loop system. Many receptive visitors and citizens are coming from transit friendly cities and we need to address efficient people moving. As we shift away from fossil fuels, the use of Hydrogen and E buses exist and are both green and efficient. Let’s move into the 21st Century. Move more people swiftly and simply without a car. Parking problem solved!

LYNN FLEMING

Coeur d’Alene