Lincoln parking shortage causes problems near Capitol

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Lincoln officials are hoping to address parking problems that vex visitors, state employees and residents around the Capitol.

The Capitol receives about 100,000 visitors annually, and 25,000 students who mostly come in school buses, according to the State Patrol Capitol Security Division. The state-owned garages and surface lots in Lincoln support fewer than 2,000 off-street parking spaces, according to a 2009 study by the Department of Administrative Services.

Neighborhood groups have been dealing with the parking problems for years, the Lincoln Journal Star reported.

“This is a neighborhood; it’s not a parking lot,” said Shawn Ryba, executive director of the South of Downtown Community Development Organization. “We’d like to see something done.”

Ryba said that spring and summer of this year would be an ideal time for all interested parties to look at the issue.

City officials have considered putting two parking garages downtown offset parking issues, Ryba said. The city is also working on a downtown master plan to address the issues.

Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks and Sen. Dan Watermeier have introduced an interim study to find a solution. The study will examine the extent of the parking shortage and provide potential solutions that could result in savings for the state, according to the senators.

Nebraska citizens should have easy access to the Capitol without unduly burdening nearby residents, Pansing Brooks said.

“It is imperative that we work to remove all barriers to participation in our unique legislative process, as well as being good neighbors,” she said.

Members of the Nebraska Association of Former State Senators have offered assistance with the study.

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Information from: Lincoln Journal Star, http://www.journalstar.com