Main Street parking in Algonquin may double

Algonquin officials are considering a plan to nearly double the available parking this summer along Main Street in downtown.

The village board agreed Tuesday to move forward with one of four alternatives for adding on-street parking between Railroad Street and Route 62. The plan adds 32 stalls to Main Street while maintaining a pedestrian-friendly environment.

"We're really trying to improve this area for commerce and draw visitors," said Mike Kumbera, assistant village administrator.

Currently, 33 marked and four unmarked parking spots are on Main Street between Algonquin Road and Washington Street. The new plan would add angled parking and a handicap spot on the west side of the road and parallel parking on the east.

From Washington Street to Railroad Street, 18 parallel spaces will be added to both sides of Main Street. On-street parking does not currently exist in that area.

Though a cost estimate hasn't been determined, it is expected to be low, Kumbera said. The proposed concept plan does not include any construction or widening of the road.

Village staff is looking into funding options for the additional parking, Kumbera said, at which time the plan will be brought back to the village board for approval. The project is expected to be completed by the end of the summer, he said.

With the recent completion of the Western Algonquin Bypass project, Main Street has been relieved of traffic and has become more of a local road, Kumbera said.

Last year, a four-way stop was added at the Washington and Main streets intersection to improve pedestrian accessibility.

"This is kind of step two," Kumbera said.

Additionally, business owners have asked for more on-street parking downtown and "seem excited about the plans," he said.

The additional parking spaces may be temporary, depending on the conceptual designs for a downtown streetscape plan that will likely be presented to the village board in the near future, Kumbera said.

"We have a downtown master plan that's on the books," he said. "As we go forward, we'll continue to build and improve off this."