Iowa City to consider downtown taxi stands

IOWA CITY – Iowa City may make another run at establishing spots downtown reserved for taxicabs at night.

Chris O'Brien, the city's director of transportation services, said in a memo Thursday that staffers are preparing a formal recommendation to the City Council on taxi stands to provide designated spots for taxis to wait for, load and unload customers.

Iowa City has 91 licensed taxis, O'Brien said, and late-night congestion has resulted in cabs parking in the middle of Dubuque Street and in travel lanes while waiting for customers.

For a short time in 2007, the city set up taxi stands in four loading zones between 5 p.m. and 2 a.m.

But downtown businesses said the stands were not clearly marked, were little used and discouraged people who had used the zones for quick stops from shopping and eating downtown.

O'Brien wrote that the spots also were spread out and ineffective. He said the new recommendation will include multiple locations, to be determined, that would be reserved for taxis between 10 p.m. and 2:30 a.m.

The city is currently seeking feedback from taxi companies and downtown businesses, O'Brien said.