Map Shows 2,000 Parking Spaces in Downtown Catonsville

Catonsville business and community leaders are breathing new life into discussions on improving parking along the Frederick Road corridor, and a map has surfaced that may shed light on the problem.

Baltimore County officials g along Frederick Road at the request of the Chamber of Commerce. While some private lots in Catonsville are informally open to all, many smaller lots strictly enforce towing. Other than meters along Frederick Road and a few side streets, there is not a public parking lot.

The recent study was spurred by a series of meetings held in February and March by business and community leaders on how to make Frederick Road more friendly to pedestrians.

In 2010, students at the documented all of the parking spaces in downtown Catonsville and compiled the data on a map.

The students are part of the geospatial applications program led by Professor Scott Jeffrey.

According to their map, a total of 2,066 spaces are available in downtown Catonsville, including all lots and meters. While officials haven't talked about taking away private lots, they have talked about making at least one lot (the parking lot by Friendly's) an option for a public parking lot.

Many readers have that finding parking can be difficult, though current and past presidents of the have made the case there is plenty of parking in Catonsville, it just isn't accessible to all or clearly marked.

You tell us: What do you think of the current parking in downtown Catonsville? Do you have trouble finding parking?