Concerns raised over Court Street sidewalk project in Ottawa costing parking spaces

Council says ideas are preliminary, it still is looking into the project

Parking on Court Street in Ottawa may allow parking on the courthouse side of the street, but not the business side.

Former Mayor Bob Eschbach addressed the Ottawa City Council Tuesday over concerns a proposed sidewalk project on Court Street will eliminate 26 parking spots in the city’s downtown.

The project, which is in the preliminary stages, was relayed in a letter from Commissioner Marla Pearson to business and building owners of downtown Ottawa. It proposed business parking on the Court Street side of the courthouse on the courthouse side only (not on the businesses side) and courthouse parking to be on the La Salle Street side. Angled parking would be available for judges from Madison Street.

The plan, Eschbach said, calls for the elimination of parking on the east side of Court Street in favor of a 26-foot wide sidewalk.

“26 feet is wider than any sidewalk anywhere in Ottawa,” Eschbach said. “And 26 parking spaces isn’t 26 people. It’s more like 260 because those spaces turn over. People are running to the bakery or running to drop off their pet at the pet place, maybe pick up something at a restaurant or go into a retail store.”

Pearson said the plan was being sent to downtown business and building owners to ensure they were 100% on board with it and since then, she has had conversations with many of them about the project. The plan isn’t complete because the city still has to figure out utilities and all of the landscaping.

Mayor Dan Aussem said the plan won’t actually cost the downtown 26 parking spots: all of the parking for the La Salle County Courthouse employees will be moving to the La Salle Street side of the court house. The plan, as it stands, will see the entire courthouse side of Court Street becoming parking for restaurants and other visitors to the downtown.

“We’re also working on an ordinance to eliminate street parking for those employed in the downtown,” Aussem said. “There’s plenty of free parking, so ultimately, we don’t think we’ll be losing that many spots.”

Aussem said the plan was created to give the city’s downtown more green space since the area around the courthouse doesn’t have much of it.