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Columbus plans to embark early next year on an estimated $468,500 parking lot improvement project.
The city council approved the plan at its Sept. 16 meeting, with plans to roll out the bidding alongside a slate of paving projects. That way, City Engineer Kevin Stafford said, Columbus might capitalize on more advantageous pricing through economies of scale.
So what parking lots will get a facelift? What scope of work will each see? What lots are being left out?
What is the full scope of the problem?
At a work session earlier this year, Stafford told the council the city owns 26 public parking lots and estimated it would take as much as $2 million to adequately address their needs.
But the city only has about $441,000 at its immediate disposal to tackle the problem, money left over from a paving bond it issued in 2020 that has no restrictions on how it can be spent. Internet use tax money comes to the city twice a year, an average of $1.3 million in January and July, respectively, but legislation restricts that money to use on roads, drainage and building assets. Parking lots, per the opinion of City Attorney Jeff Turnage, do not qualify.
So Stafford took the 26 lots, ranked them based on condition, need and estimated cost, and presented the council on Tuesday with a project package that would touch 13 of them.
Which lots will see work?
Stafford’s list ranks five lots as top priorities, all of which are in poor condition. The largest and most expensive of those (at $87,500) is at the Hitching Lot Farmers Market. The city is hoping to share costs for repaving that lot and the lot at the Columbus-Lowndes County Airport with that county.
The other three listed as top priorities include striping at one of the Riverwalk lots, limestone placement on the grass lot at Hank Aaron Park and fixing potholes and cracking at Lee Park. The other Riverwalk parking lot will also be restriped through this project, though Stafford listed it as a lower priority.
The lower lot at Trotter Convention Center will be milled and striped, while the lot across from First Baptist Church – at the corner of Second Avenue and Seventh Street North – will be reoriented with sidewalk additions.
Behind the Columbus-Lowndes Library, the lot will see restriping and repairs to cracking, gravel and rock will be added to the Townsend Park lot and the Sim Scott Park lot facing 18th Street North will be milled and repaved. Propst Park lots will see new gravel or rock, while the Sandfield Community Center lot will be restriped.
What lots were left out?
The two most expensive lots – those at the Sen. Terry Brown Amphitheater and the Municipal Complex – make up a combined $809,725 of the city’s needed upgrades to parking lots. Neither is included in next year’s work scope, though Stafford said the city’s separate plan to finish the amphitheater would likely include that parking lot.
Elsewhere, the city spent $108,000 in 2024 repaving the recreation lot at Sandfield Park and another $73,500 this spring repaving the Alexandria Lot behind J. Broussard’s.
Lots at the Post Office, City Hall, Roger Short Soccer Complex, Sim Scott Park (20th Street) and East Columbus Gym are listed in good condition. The Back Door, Trotter Auxiliary and Townsend Community Center lots are listed as fair.
Two poor condition lots will be skipped over this go round, including a gravel lot Tuscaloosa Road and the asphalt lot at First Methodist Church. In the case of the latter, Stafford said the church is in the process of requesting ownership of the lot from the city.
Zack Plair is the managing editor for The Dispatch.
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 35 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
