
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, March 18, 1991                   TAG: 9103180195
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: A3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER MUNICIPAL WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

PARKING RATES MAY RISE

Parking fees at the three municipal parking garages in downtown Roanoke may increase in July to help cover increasing costs and establish the criteria for rates in the Dominion Tower garage that will open in October.

City Manager Robert Herbert will recommend today that City Council increase the monthly rates at the Market Square, Church Avenue and Williamson Road garages.

The new monthly rate for Market Square would be $50, up from $48; Church Avenue, $44, up from $42; and Williamson Road, $42.50, up from $40.

Herbert also has recommended increases in several fees for short-term parking in the Market Square and Church Avenue garages. The fee for one hour in Market Square would be raised from 50 cents to 75 cents, and the charges for longer periods would increase proportionately. The charge for each 30 minutes at the Church Avenue garage would increase from 75 cents to 80 cents.

In a report on council's agenda, the city manager said his recommendation is in keeping with the city's policy of gradual rate increases rather than infrequent large ones. The higher rates would generate an estimated $65,750.

Herbert said the city needs to approve the new fees so it will be in a better position to set the rates for the Dominion Tower garage this fall. The tower fees will depend on rates charged at the city's other garages.

The tower will include about 725 parking spaces. The city plans to build another garage next to Fire Station No. 1 in Downtown East. The Downtown East garage is expected to open in the fall of 1992.

Herbert also will recommend that council approve creation of a transportation enterprise fund in fiscal 1992 that will account for all five garages.

Also Monday, Herbert will recommend that council approve a $58,200 contract with Hayes, Seay, Mattern and Mattern, a Roanoke firm, to provide engineering services for the relocation of sewer and water lines that will be required by the Roanoke River flood-reduction project.

The city will have the responsibility for relocating the utility lines along the 10-mile section of the river.

The project involves widening the channel and constructing flood walls at several places and includes a bicycling and jogging trail.

Council recently awarded a $152,000 contract for an environmental assessment of 237 parcels of land that will be acquired.

Consulting engineers will inspect all property that will be needed for the project to determine if the construction will uncover hazardous waste dumps or other potential environmental problems.

Construction on the channel widening and flood walls will not begin until the summer of 1992, but consultants will start their inspections soon.

by CNB