AUGUSTA, Ga. – Augusta is revising its Broad Street construction plans after merchants voiced concerns about the loss of parking. The downtown business community has been vocal in its desire to retain all 760 parking spaces along the street, which are critical to the flow of customers in the area.

Local merchant Louisa Martin, a frequent visitor to Art on Broad, expressed frustration over the ongoing parking difficulties. “It’s hard enough as it is right now with the number of parking spaces to find a spot,” she said. “I come to Art on Broad pretty frequently, and it’s always a challenge.”

Despite these concerns, the city’s updated plans will still result in a net loss of 170 parking spaces, leaving only 590 available spots on Broad Street. According to Augusta Traffic Engineer John Ussery, the loss is partly due to updated parking space size standards. “Broad Street was going to lose about 140 spaces regardless of our plans,” Ussery explained. “Even if we simply resurfaced the street and kept the parking as it is, we’d only end up with about 620 spaces.”

The city’s original proposal to update Broad Street’s infrastructure, which dates back nearly four decades, included substantial changes to meet current standards. However, after hearing from downtown stakeholders, the city is now considering additional measures to address parking needs in the area.

One proposed solution involves converting Reynolds Street into a two-lane road and making Ellis Street one-way. According to Commissioner Jordan Johnson, these changes would open up an additional 400 parking spaces nearby. “We have identified over 500 additional parking spaces by utilizing Ellis Street and Reynolds Street,” Johnson stated. “I think that’s a good step in the right direction.”

While these adjustments may help alleviate parking shortages in the downtown area, questions remain about whether the added spaces on adjacent streets will sufficiently serve Broad Street businesses. Ussery acknowledged that the extra parking could be beneficial, noting, “Both Reynolds and Ellis Streets are just a block or two away from where you would want to go.”

However, some customers worry that if parking is not easily accessible, they may simply choose not to shop in the area. “Yes, eventually. Time is precious, it’s a valuable resource,” said Martin. “I don’t have time to keep circling for a parking space.”

City leaders are expected to meet with downtown stakeholders before finalizing and voting on the updated plans. It remains to be seen whether the proposed solutions will satisfy both merchants and customers, ensuring Broad Street remains a vibrant and accessible hub for Augusta.