Assistant City Manager Brian Maxwell reported to the Galveston Intermodal Transportation Committee on the Paid Seawall Parking Plan. Listen

“We’ve been through the wringer on this deal,” Maxwell said, reviewing the problems the city has encountered since the paid parking plan was approved by the voters; explaining that the cost of the program turned out to be more expensive than the city or the Texas General Land Office could accept.  He said the main problem is administering one hour parking for visitors as specified in the ballot language, in addition to $8 per day passes.

Maxwell said the city is now discussing the issue with the Park Board of Trustees.

“This is very preliminary with the park board, that we would do some type of all-day pass on the south side of the Seawall and we would do the dollar an hour parking on the north side of the Seawall.”

He said development of the Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier will also impact Seawall parking.

“The Pleasure Pier is going to be a game changer for Seawall parking,” Maxwell said.  “It’s going to be a game changer period, for everything that goes on on the Seawall.”

The committee discussed a residential parking plan for neighborhoods near the Pleasure Pier.

John Carrara of The Goodman Corporation updated the committee on the Galveston Livable Communities Initiative’s Downtown Intermodal Transportation Terminal. Listen

“The agreement between the Port of Galveston and the city is finally completed and approved by the city council at their last meeting,” Carrara said.  “In the meantime, the port has moved forward on the facility design, using the same architect that Mitchell Historic Properties had retained for the design, so they could move smoothly and quickly into the construction documents.”

Carrara said work on the terminal should begin in August.

Carrara and Lila Zuniga of Island Transit reported on the eight new IT buses and the success of the Victory Lakes Park and Ride service. Listen

“Victory Lakes has been a total success,” Zuniga said.  

The official ribbon cutting ceremony for the new service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, May 23 at the Victory Lakes Park and Ride Terminal.