SOIUTH OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV)– A free parking lot near 13th and William streets in Little Bohemia is now charging fees after Park Omaha took it over at the beginning of the year, adding to growing parking concerns in the area.
- Park Omaha took over a previously free parking lot near 13th and William streets in Little Bohemia at the beginning of the year
- Local businesses say the parking shortage hurts customer access, while new apartment developments provide parking for less than half their planned units
- Neighbors now must park in neighborhoods and walk several blocks
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
A free parking lot near 13th and William streets in Little Bohemia is now charging fees after Park Omaha took it over at the beginning of the year, adding to growing parking concerns in the area.
Dylan Lovell discovered the change the hard way when he found a parking ticket on his car one morning.
"I found out the hard way, I parked and I didn't see the sign," Lovell said.
The lot takeover reflects a broader trend affecting the neighborhood's accessibility.
"It seems like all the public parking is going that way, people used to come be able to park here and walk around Little Bohemia," Lovell said.
The parking shortage has created challenges for local businesses trying to serve customers. Ash Preheim, general manager at Beercade 2, said businesses pay for the lot, but it was being used by neighborhood residents instead of customers.
"The best solution to that is to have our customers pay the parking fees but at least they have a spot close by," Preheim said.
The problem is expected to worsen as new development continues. A complex near 14th and William will provide parking for less than half of the units it plans to build.
"With the apartments going up I think it's a never ending issue," Preheim said.
The parking crunch forces people to seek alternatives in residential areas, creating additional strain on the neighborhood.
"There's pretty limited street parking and then you have to park in the neighborhoods if you can't find any and you have to walk three or four blocks to get where you actually want to go," Lovell said.
Business owners express frustration with the approval of apartment developments that don't provide adequate parking for tenants, calling for action on the growing problem.
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