Email Subscription Downtown Parking Meter Rate Changes
Effective Monday, February 4, the Downtown meter rate changes will take effect. Barring adverse weather conditions, Meter Repair staff will change rates beginning Friday, February 1, in the underutilized areas that will increase to .50 and complete the .75 rate change over the weekend of February 2 and 3.Before the rate change, staff wants to make sure the public is aware of the plan for rate changes. This will be accomplished by distributing posters which show the meter rates in each area as well as provide other parking and transportation related information, issuing a press release, posting the information on the City’s web site and cable channel 5, and affixing signs to each meter post indicating the new rate and date the change will take effect. The information was disseminated beginning January 22. After the rate change has been implemented, staff will affix stickers to all meter posts in the Downtown and East Side districts indicating the price and duration of the meter as soon as weather permits.
When meter rates increase, Parking Lot G (located in front of the Illinois Terminal Building) will continue to be $.25/hr even though it is located within the $.75/hour boundaries. The pay stations in Lot G have been discontinued and staff is unable to obtain software that will allow them to program the pay station to accept the new rates. In February Council will be asked to approve the purchase of new pay stations that can be programmed to accept the $.75 rate.
In keeping with the plan of providing short-term parking on street in the core of Downtown, 51 ten-hour meters will be changed from duration of 10 hours to 2 hours. Staff plans to implement the change on Wednesday, February 6. At least a week before this date staff will inform citizens of the change by installing signs (similar to the ones used when there was free holiday parking) on the affected meters.