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After a first vote in late December, on Tuesday the D.C. Council gave final approval to a measure that doubles parking meter rates downtown from $1 to $2 an hour, reports WTOP's Mark Segraves. The rate hikes will also hit other parts of town, though less so -- expect to pay a quarter more an hour. District officials expect the hike to raise an additional $2 to $7 million a year, which will be directed to affordable housing programs and restoring the O Street Market.
The only vote against the rate hike came from Council member Phil Mendelson (D-At Large). According to his office, Mendelson voted against the legislation because he felt that the amount of the rate hike wasn't based on any local studies of traffic and parking conditions, and that it might not actually help facilitate turnover in on-street parking or promote alternative forms of transportation.
The D.C. Republican Committee also came out against the proposal, though for a different reason. In a statement, Chairman Robert J. Kabel said, "Six days into the New Year and the D.C. Council is already considering a new financial burden to place on District taxpayers. The Council should abandon [Council member Jim] Graham's meter rate hike, and find ways to cut their bloated budget. If the District's parking fares are less than our neighboring jurisdictions, why would we get rid of an economic incentive for people to shop and do business in the District."
In our minds, Mendo has a better reason to oppose the legislation than do the Republicans. We've written about making changes to parking rules in the District, and finding ways to make on-street parking more closely match its market value and promote quicker turnover is a good place to start. And while jacking up rates downtown is a political no-brainer -- how many people really live downtown? -- Mendo is right in pointing out than an arbitrary $1 jump may sound great, but it's not terribly scientific. The Republican Committee, though, seems to be stretching in assuming that the only incentive to shop in the District is that it has cheaper on-street parking than neighboring jurisdictions. (It might not -- Arlington has recently debated raising rates too.)
As an occasional driver myself, I can say that stricter on-street parking rules have had an obvious impact on whether or not I choose to drive somewhere in the city. Though I rarely drive into downtown, pumping that many quarters to park will very quickly dissuade me from ever trying to park there. That's not to say I won't ever go there -- just that my bike looks that much better now.
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If there were more than three republican voters in the district, Kabel's comments might be worth something. As it is, the council has no reason to even bother giving him the time of day.
If they were smart, they'd be data mining this info to find out whether the hike is increasing space turnover or discouraging people from spending money downtown. I get the suspicion that it will end up being a little of both. Anyway, spending $4 instead of $2 to go to a gallery or restaurant isn't going to bankrupt me. And the most vehement complainers probably don't drive downtown anyway. Hell, they probably haven't been in DC since Marion Barry was on the School Board and only eating the occasional gristly teenager.
fact is, on street parking is still undervalued. it's so much cheaper than parking in a garage downtown. unfortunately, it's been too cheap for so long that people feel it's a birthright. tough shit, says i. no free lunch and all that tripe. if we have something valuable, we (the people of DC who own that public space) should start getting our money's worth from it.
i'm just disappointed that the council wimped out and didn't bring back saturday fees. should have sunday fees as well if you ask me. no reason anyone should have free use of that valuable, limited resource.
If they're so desperate for revenue, how about TICKETING DOUBLE-PARKING CHURCHIES ON SUNDAY?
Oh dear. Did I just think that or say it out loud?
This is why I just park my Hummer on sidewalks.
$2 an hour is trivial compared to the cost of garage parking downtown - still nowhere near market rate for such a scarce resource.
On the other hand, getting rid of "quarters only" and moving to credit card pay stations would make all kinds of sense and could be financed by higher rates.
They should ditch the meters COMPLETELY. I'm f**king sick of putting a quarter in a meter and NOTHING HAPPENS. So I put in another and NOTHING HAPPENS. Then I put in another and get 10 minutes. WTF? Half of the meters I try are either busted, flashing the FAIL warning, or somewhere in between. You have one credit card station per block, that's dozens of meters that you don't have to maintain anymore. Jeezus, who the hell carries change now anyway? The only change I carry around is a roll of quarters I use to beat the $h!t out of hobos before I strangle them. And that goes DOUBLE for mimes.
Credit card pay stations also allow the city to quickly change prices in order to respond to changes in demand. $20 per spot within 4 blocks of the Verizon Center on game nights? $100 per spot for inauguration?
The only thing better would be if those machines worked regularly.
I've been on 8th SE plenty of times 30min to an hour before free parking and not been able to pay the pretty little machine because it didn't work.
Give up my parking spot in search of a functioning machine or pray the meter maids don't come by (and they always do)?
Whatever, I'm a pedestrian most of the time, I could give a rats ass.
Glad I don't have a car... nor that I am homeless for that matter with Monkeyrotica running around betting the crap put of people with change.
Again, I am immune to these modern horrors. I don't drive and I don't have a car. They won't let me.
So this morning's post, at 7:45 AM, was like getting a Wii on Christmas morning, rare and exciting. Waiting until 12:03 to get the next post was akin to receiving Monkey's heavily stained Fruit of the Looms; apparently Santa Claus - and the rest of the DCist staff - was wiped out by the initial effort.
CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT! FEED THE ORNERY READERSHIP BEAST!!!!
Two weeks ago I needed to drive to my office and the minimart in front of my building would only give me $1 in quarters. A week before that I drive to GW to sit a final exam, walked around the corner to get quarters from starbucks and had a parking ticket by the time I got back. (please note that these are the very rare occasions on which I drive in NW) DC needs to make it easier to do the right thing. I should point out that the card machines need maintenance too- I parked on barracks row recently and the machine made printing noises but never actually spat out a parking voucher.
DC needs to make it easier to do the right thing
In what sense? Either you pay your pittance of a parking fee and park legally, or one of the meter maids comes by and slaps you for $50--which goes directly into the city coffers.
Win-win.
There are other options for drivers downtown. Parking garages, for example.
You didn't have the foresight to get quarters before parking at a meter, and somehow that's DC's fault?
What exactly constitutes DC "doing the right thing?" Would that be letting you slide while you go and mooch change from businesses because you didn't have the foresight to leave home with a couple of quarters in your pocket? Or spending millions to install ticket machines across the whole city so that you don't need to plan ahead?
Next time try getting change from a hobo. They're usually loaded unless Monkey has sapped 'em already.
It would be nice if they could use some of the money to install new meters. There's a stretch of L Street between about 16th-14th Streets, NW, where one side of the street has meters and the other doesn't. Guess which side fills up first? Not only that, usually several cars begin parking at about 9:10-15 a.m. or so and the drivers just sit there with the engine's idling because technically there's no parking until 9:30 a.m. Even when gas was close to $4/gallon they would do it.
Time for me to get a handicapped placard so I can park on the streets for FREE!!!
Hey geniuses. You want to make more money from parking meters? Here's an idea. Why don't you start charging on Saturday like just about every other jurisdiction on earth? If you're worried about residential parking then make an exception in such places for permit holders.
Shame on you Jamie - you've actually proposed a solution that makes sense...
Also, what about lengthening the hours? Does DC charge for parking after 7pm? In Bethesda I think most lots charge until 10pm on weekdays and Saturdays. I know it's not a cure all but every little bit helps.
Affordable housing? O Street Market? Bah! They should take the income from these hikes and install automatic conveyor belts underneath each sequential parking space. That way, when the Geo Prism with Virginia plates takes up a parking spot big enough for an Escalade, a sensor will automatically move the car the requisite 18 inches away from the next parked car. I will be patenting this idea forthwith, so none of you bitches steal it.
i'll gladly help get you the start-up capital to make this brilliant idea work!