Is Dickies Arena creating parking problems in surrounding neighborhoods?
Dickies Arena has quickly been trumpeted as a success — with music fans camping out for Twenty One Pilots’ opening show and packing the arena for George Strait — but some residents who live across Montgomery Street aren’t sure efforts to keep cars off residential streets have been successful.
About a month after opening the arena, officials say parking and ride-share hailing has been a learning process that will improve.
During shows in November, cars clogged residential streets in the blocks just west of Montgomery and ride-share drivers appeared to loiter in the neighborhood, creating headaches for residents, said David Berning, who lives in one of the first houses up East Washburn Avenue and owns a few properties along the block.
Washburn, Harley and Lafayette avenues quickly became congested with cars in the blocks closest to the arena, he said. Some cars blocked alleys or driveways.
Berning sat on a city parking task force and said enforcement of parking rules was a major concern of the neighborhood, though it likely didn’t affect most who live in Arlington Heights.
“I’d say most people in this first couple blocks aren’t happy,” he said.
Dickies Arena is working to keep drivers out of the neighborhood, said Alissa Cunningham, a spokeswoman for the arena. She said plans for parking and ride-share hailing have evolved in the first month of operation and may continue to change as the arena receives input from drivers and neighbors.
Uber and Lyft drivers are supposed to drop people off on the west side of the arena along Dickies Way, a short access street that runs along the arena between Harley and Bryce avenues. At the end of the show, drivers and riders are to meet in the Montgomery Street parking lot at the northeast corner of Montgomery and Harley Avenue.
Signs, both outside for drivers and inside the arena for visitors, should help direct people, Cunningham said.
The arena, plaza and adjacent parking lots have a “geo-fence.” When someone pings an Uber or Lyft driver within the area, they should receive directions through the ride-share app directing them to the appropriate pickup zone.
“I think we’ve learned a few things in the first events and we’ll continue to communicate with drivers and guests,” Cunningham said.
There is quite a bit of parking around Dickies Arena.
The Chevrolet Parking Garage, 3464 Trail Drive, has more than 2,000 parking spots, and the Yellow Lots, which are on Trail Drive between University and Montgomery, are open for all Dickies events.
Since Oct. 20, city parking enforcers have written 151 warnings and 31 tickets in the Arlington Heights neighborhood. The bulk of those tickets were written since Nov. 16, according to city data.
While the city has required residential parking permits in the area for about two years, Berning said it appeared little was being done to enforce the policy.
“It doesn’t do any good if you’re just going to give a warning,” he said.
This story was originally published December 2, 2019 at 5:30 AM.
