People going out for dinner on a Friday or Saturday night in McHenry shouldn’t expect to see huge changes in the parking situation soon, Public Works Director Russ Adams said.

He hopes that by spring, however, residents will see new and better signs pointing them to available parking as the McHenry City Council works toward adopting new suggestions for improvement.

City staff now will begin working toward some of the suggestions included in consultant Kimley-Horn’s parking study, presented this week to the City Council.

“It is not going to substantially change right away,” Adams said.

Way-finding signs directing residents to available parking lots are one of the easier, lower-cost suggestions. Other, longer-term ideas included additional lighting in those parking areas and pedestrian walkways.

“We have to take a closer look and see how they fit into the long-term plan,” Adams said.

The parking study indicates that there is enough parking in McHenry’s downtown areas – Main Street, Green Street and Riverside Drive – but that residents are unwilling to walk more than a few blocks.

Several city departments will be part of making those changes, too.

Doug Martin, the city’s economic development director, will reach out to Green Street and Riverside Drive business owners to get their feedback, Adams said.

Bill Hobson, director of parks and recreation, likely will take the lead on designing signs pointing motorists to available parking.

Seventh Ward Alderwoman Sue Miller said that what the study tells her is “we don’t have the right signage, and people do not want to walk to available parking.”

She asked Kimley-Horn’s representative, Peter Lemmon, if paid parking should be considered for the more desirable spots near businesses.

It is not something they’d suggest based on current usage, Lemmon said.

Crossing Elm Street also is an issue. Third Ward Alderman Stephen Doherty said waiting for a walk signal while crossing the busy state road can take 10 minutes.

That, Adams said, is a conversation McHenry needs to have with the Illinois Department of Transportation, which manages the traffic lights.

Other changes may need to ensure the parking lots show up in online parking and mapping apps. If the parking lots are given addresses, they will show up in mapping apps, McHenry Police Chief John Birk said.

One of the things he’s included in the next police department budget is a license plate reader. That would allow an officer on patrol to check for people parking over the time limits.

“Right now they get a parking ticket, but [only] when the community service officer has time” to issue the ticket, Birk said. “It is time-consuming.”