Transit agency takes aim at city parking
By: Mike Aldax
April 7, 2009
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| More change needed: The City may see increased parking meter rates, along with extended meter hours and an end to free Sunday parking. (Cindy Chew/The Examiner) |
SAN FRANCISCO — Parking at meters may no longer be free after 6 p.m., with drivers instead being forced to fork over money for the spots until 10 p.m.
The cost of the meters could also be hiked by 50 cents per hour citywide, and free parking on Sundays may be eliminated, with the price being the same as every other day of the week. Most city meters currently run from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., six days per week.
The proposals to garner more money from parking are from the San Francisco Municipal Transit Agency, which oversees the Department of Parking and Traffic.
The proposals come as the agency, which also oversees Muni, faces a $129 million deficit next year. The increases would not apply to spots along some sections of the waterfront, which are operated by the Port of San Francisco.
Hourly rates for meters would increase from $3 to $3.50 in the downtown center and from $1.50 to $2 in The City’s outlying commercial areas.
Motorcyclists could also take a serious hit. As part of the proposal, metered spaces for the two-wheelers could increase to $1 per hour from the current 10 to 25 cents.
The additional parking meter revenue would generate an additional $9.5 million annually for the SFMTA, according to estimates.
Although the new rates might be a burden for residents who own vehicles, it will help local business, said Rob Black, a representative of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce.
Charging more for meters and having them run longer in the day might deter folks from parking for extended periods, which would increase parking options in commercial districts and lure additional shoppers.
“From a business perspective, it makes a lot of sense,” Black said.
But Black cautioned about charging for meters past 6 p.m. He said The City needs to make sure it doesn’t create one-hour or two-hour parking zones in areas where there may be restaurants, movie theaters or other businesses that would require more of a consumer’s time.
“You want to make sure your hours are such that if people are coming for a dinner and movie, they can do that sort of thing without having to worry [about filling the meters],” Black said.
And drivers who are looking to park in parking garages operated by the agency may also find those costs going up too as part of the proposal.
The parking proposal is one area where revenues for public transportation can be raised from motorists rather than Muni riders, and they come as cuts to bus and light-rail lines are also being put on the table along with fare hikes.
“The unprecedented budget deficit — largely caused by the global economic downturn that is hurting so many individuals and organizations — means that the SFMTA faces very difficult decisions in the months ahead,” said spokesman Judson True. “As is the case for most transit agencies, everything is on the table, including higher fares and service reductions.”
Parking zones
Zone 1
Makes up northeast sector of The City, including the Financial District, portions of South of Market and The Embarcadero.
Meters: 3,391 meters
Current hourly rate: $3 per hour
Proposed hourly rate: $3.50 per hour
Zone 2
A ring around the outside fringe of downtown, including the Civic Center and lower portion of South of Market.
Meters: 4,348
Current hourly rate: $2.50 per hour
Proposed hourly rate: $3 per hour
Zone 3
Covers the neighborhood commercial districts outside of zones 1, 2 and 4.
Meters: 15,069
Current hourly rate: $1.50 per hour
Proposed hourly rate: $2.00 per hour
Zone 4
Fisherman’s Wharf commercial and tourist areas.
Meters: 488
Current hourly rate: $2.50 per hour
Proposed hourly rate: $3 per hour
Motorcycle spaces
Meters: 1,361 citywide
Current hourly rate: 10 cents to 25 cents
Proposed hourly rate: $1
