RCA Accomplishments: 43 Parking Spots for Free Instead of Spending $885,000 for 19
Before RCA was elected to the Village Board, the plan was to build a new 19 spot parking lot at cost estimated by the village’s Director of Finance at $885,000 to $1,095,000, depending on the availability of grant money. The RCA thought the village could do better than nearly $50,000 per parking spot.
Once RCA was in office, it only took a few weeks of research into other options this summer to determine that there were much less expensive options that would provide more parking for Riverside’s businesses. RCA was able to work with BNSF and Metra to find a solution that provides our businesses with 43 parking spots – more than twice as many parking spots as the original plan. The new business parking lot makes use of underutilized commuter spots and cost the village nothing to create it. Instead of a 19 spot parking lot at $885,000, the RCA was able to come up with a plan that now provides 43 spots for free, with a possible second agreement to be worked out with Riverside Masonic Temple for another 25 parking spots.
Additionally, by not paying to build the proposed lot, the village retains a valuable real estate asset on Burlington that can be used at later date for other purposes.
RCA campaigned on stopping needless, runaway spending. We believe that taking the time to look carefully at an issue and examining options rather than plunging headlong into spending hundreds of thousands of dollars is a good way to start.
– Mark D. Shevitz