Does a Stock Island Garage Makes More Sense Than One Downtown?
There’s Already a Fully Developed Study that Shows the Stock Island Intermodal Center Could Alleviate Downtown Parking Shortages, Reduce Congestion, and Support Affordable Housing
Streets for People | Friends of Car-Free Key West & Duval Street/Historic Downtown | Chris Hamilton | January 24, 2026
While Key West officials are meeting on January 27 to discuss plans for a new parking garage at Simonton and Angela Streets, adding 85 net new spaces downtown, a much larger and more ambitious parking garage proposal on Stock Island has quietly evolved into a fully developed project. It’s called the Key West Intermodal Center (KWIC), a multimodal transit hub that integrates parking, workforce housing, commercial space, and transit connections.
The Stock Island garage concept has been referenced in the Key West Transit Development Plans since 2020, including a detailed mention in the FY2025–2034 plan, which highlighted a “Key West Intermodal Facility Study.” That study is complete and it concludes with staff enthusiastically saying that “developing a multi-modal transit facility – including housing, parking and commercial space is achievable at Key West Transit’s current location” on Stock Island. City staff are already outlining next steps.
This new information transforms the narrative: the Stock Island garage is no longer a vague idea, often bandied about on social media, but a strategic, multifaceted project actively moving through planning and feasibility phases. It begs the question: Why aren’t we talking about it? Because if we can get the parking right, along with fixing our transit, it will make our historic downtown core more pedestrian friendly, less like mainland places – and that’s better for business, visitors and all of us local residents and workers too.
So, in our story below, we do just that. We dive into the details of what’s in the “Key West Intermodal Facility Study” and explore what this may mean for our island and the downtown Simonton and Angela garage discussion. Let’s go:
What the Feasibility Study Reveals
The impressive Key West Intermodal Facility Study (110-page Study and PowerPoint summary presentation) offers a comprehensive evaluation of the Stock Island garage proposal. It examines alternative locations for a hub garage, land use, traffic impacts, financial viability, and community needs, positioning the project as a strategic park-and-ride hub designed to intercept vehicles before they reach downtown Key West.
As part of the process, the study was vetted by city staff, transit officials, and community stakeholders, reflecting a collaborative process that aligns with broader city goals such as reducing carbon emissions, improving transit accessibility, supporting workforce housing, and enhancing community amenities.
Key features of the Key West Intermodal Center (KWIC) project include:
- A public parking garage designed to reduce downtown congestion by encouraging transit use.
- On-site affordable workforce housing for transit employees and possibly others.
- Commercial and retail spaces such as cafes and convenience stores and community space.
- Green spaces, public electric vehicle charging stations and bicycle infrastructure.
- Enhanced transit connections, including shuttles and fixed-route services to downtown.
As part of a Title VI process, the study evaluated three different locations:
- at 14th and Glenn Archer Jr. Streets;
- 3215 N. Roosevelt Boulevard; and
- 5701 College Road (the current transit facility property).
It concluded the current transit site best met the Title VI requirements and offers “exemplary” connectivity with existing transportation networks and says the site offers the best flexibility.
Once a site was chosen, the study then evaluated three development scenarios on the College Road location, each balancing risk and benefits:
- Option A: Conch Community Hub – Mixed-use with commercial (5,500 sf of cafes & restaurants), community spaces (3,00 sf), and affordable housing (36 units) over parking (255 spaces).
- Option B: Stock Island Live, Work, Play – Housing (54 units) for transit employees and others, with commercial (6,000 sf) amenities like cafes and convenience stores, community space (6,000 sf) over parking (255 spaces).
- Option C: Heron Transfer Hub – The lowest risk option focusing on parking (255 spaces) and housing for transit employees (18 units) with a 2,500 sf community space.
The study concludes that developing a multimodal transit facility at the current Key West Transit location is achievable and aligns with the city’s strategic priorities. It emphasizes the potential to alleviate downtown parking shortages and congestion while supporting affordable workforce housing and enhancing community amenities.
Current Status and Next Steps
According to a memo from Rogelio Hernandez, Key West’s Transportation Director, the feasibility study supports moving forward and outlines several preliminary steps:
- Conducting market research, traffic analysis, and financial planning.
- Identifying necessary road improvements on College Road.
- Establishing a financial plan for the project.
- Rezoning the site for residential and commercial use.
- Securing variances related to building density, height, and parking requirements.
Comparing Stock Island and Simonton/Angela Garages
The Stock Island garage represents a strategic park-and-ride approach aimed at reducing downtown traffic by intercepting vehicles earlier and promoting transit use. This approach is supported by data* showing that of the roughly 2.07 million overnight visitors to the Florida Keys who stay in Key West annually, approximately 66% arrive by car—about 1.37 million people. These figures are based on the Monroe County Tourist Development Council Visitor Profile Study and Key West tourism statistics, which track visitor demographics and transportation modes.
Capturing a significant portion of these vehicles at the Key West Intermodal Center (KWIC) before they reach the island could substantially reduce downtown congestion and parking demand.
The Stock Island project is part of a broader vision to integrate housing, commercial space, and green amenities, creating a multimodal hub that supports sustainable urban mobility.
In contrast, the Simonton and Angela garage is a smaller, more immediate project located within the downtown area, focused on adding 85 net new parking spaces where demand is already high.
While the downtown garage purports to address immediate capacity needs, we’ve discussed the ways it comes up short (Should Key West Be Building Another Downtown Parking Garage? January 17, 2025). The Stock Island project offers a longer-term, more comprehensive solution aligned with sustainability and mobility goals.
Caveat: Is the Stock Island Proposal Even Big Enough?
Given all those visitors and workers who arrive by car annually, a 255-space garage would seem to only accommodate a fraction of that volume, although that’s a lot more than the 85 new ones downtown. But it does raise a question: Is the proposed size sufficient to make a meaningful dent in downtown congestion? Or should the project consider a larger facility on that site, perhaps eschewing the housing, or also build additional Stock Island or New Town facilities (such as the other sites in New Town that were evaluated in the study on pages 24 – 32) and/or complementary strategies, like better parking management downtown to truly address parking and traffic challenges? We think people should be considering all of this.
Why the Stock Island Idea Matters Now
The Stock Island Intermodal Center (KWIC) proposal is especially timely given that approximately 1.37 million of the roughly 2.07 million annual overnight visitors to Key West arrive by car. And as we’ve documented in other articles, as more and more of us live up the Keys because of housing affordability issues on the island, it means more of us are forced to drive to work. Capturing a significant portion of these vehicles before they reach downtown could dramatically reduce congestion and parking demand, while making our downtown core more pedestrian and bike friendly.
Beyond visitor and worker traffic, the project supports broader city goals including affordable workforce housing, carbon footprint reduction, and enhanced community amenities. By encouraging alternatives to driving downtown, the Stock Island garage balances convenience with sustainability, offering a comprehensive solution to Key West’s mobility and housing challenges.
With a public meeting on January 27 about the Simonton and Angela garage, the results of the Key West Intermodal Feasibility Study could reshape the conversation. Residents and stakeholders should watch for:
- Any commission discussions of the Stock Island Study.
- Public outreach and feedback opportunities.
- How the city plans to integrate and/or prioritize these two projects.
- Potential impacts on zoning, funding, and construction timelines.
This evolving story highlights the complexity of addressing parking and transit challenges in Key West. The Stock Island Intermodal Center offers a bold vision that could redefine how the city manages mobility, housing, and sustainability for years to come.
Stay tuned as we continue to follow this important conversation about Key West’s transportation future. Because if we can get parking and transit right, we can make the pedestrian experience in our downtown core even better – and that’s good for all of us.
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*Sources and Methodology
The visitor and transportation mode data cited in this article are drawn primarily from the Monroe County Tourist Development Council (TDC) Visitor Profile Study (2024) and Key West tourism statistics. The TDC study surveys a representative sample of overnight visitors to the Florida Keys quarterly, excluding cruise ship and day visitors, and applies statistical weighting to project findings to the overall visitor population.
According to the study, approximately 46-47% of overnight visitors to the Florida Keys stay in Key West, equating to about 2.07 million visitors annually. Transportation mode data indicate that roughly 66% of these Key West visitors arrive by car, including both personal and rental vehicles, resulting in an estimated 1.37 million visitors driving onto the island each year.
Additional tourism data, including passenger counts at Key West International Airport, ferry terminals, and cruise ports, support these figures and provide context for visitor arrival patterns. For more detailed information, see the Monroe County Tourist Development Council Visitor Profile Study (2024) here and Key West tourism statistics available through the Key West Chamber of Commerce and Monroe County TDC websites.
Chris Hamilton is the founder of Friends of Car-Free Key West & Duval Street/Historic Downtown, a local advocacy group championing sustainable mobility and vibrant public spaces. Subscribe to the blog and follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Substack for updates. All stories are cross posted at KONK Life News. Originally from Washington, D.C., Chris spent over two decades leading nationally acclaimed initiatives in transit, biking, walking, and smart growth for Arlington County, VA’s DOT. Since moving to Key West in 2015, he has embraced a car-free lifestyle downtown, dedicating his time to non-profits and community projects. Explore all Streets for People column articles here.
Parking showed up, but not transit, nor engineering. Parking has a different vision of the city than transit and engineering. Engineering wants a car free key west with bike paths and people friendly streets. Transit lives its park and ride circulator bus, the Duval Loop.
Parking envisions a city where people can drive in, park inexpensively, and then wander around and explore, much like the 700k annual cruise ship passengers do.
Parking points out that they are a revenue generator, while Transit waits for a miracle in the face of diminishing grant funding.
Until the Mayor and Manager get everyone in the same room, it seems that we are gridlocked.