All About Fifth has learned that the New York City Department of Transportation is considering raising parking meter rates at the MUNI Meters along the Park Smart pilot area on Fifth and Seventh Avenues. The proposed rate could be as much as $2.50 per hour, during peak hours (12:00 - 4:00 PM).
The Park Slope Fifth Avenue BID (BID), the Park Slope Chamber of Commerce and merchants along Seventh Avenue believe that another meter increase will hurt merchants and discourage people from shopping and dining on Fifth and Seventh Avenues, especially during this recession.
What do you think? Leave a comment, below.
The BID is circulating paper petitions along the avenue and has started an online petition, as well. If you are interested, it is available to sign here.
Sounds about right, parking is too cheap and scarce in this city, especially around here. Raising the rate will make parking more plentiful. Drivers should have to pay more than subway fare to park.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the commenter above. These rates are reasonable, especially when viewed in comparison with local off-street parking rates. The result will be more turnover at the curb, since people who park and feed the meter all day will be discouraged from doing so, opening up more curb space, which will actually be better for businesses.
ReplyDeleteInstead of knee-jerk opposition, in my opinion merchants should be pushing to have the increased meter revenue returned to the BID to fund more improvements, like street furniture, landscaping improvements, more clean-up, even a free jitney running up and down the avenue. That very thing was done in Old Pasadena, to great positive effect:
http://shoup.bol.ucla.edu/SmallChange.pdf
In addition, extending meter-parking hours later into the evening would help restaurants and bars, by freeing up spaces from overnight parkers. I propose extending the time that meters are in effect from the current 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., with a two-hour time limit between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. so diners would have plenty of time to complete their meals.
That's a good idea, although my understanding is that the city will not dedicate collected revenue for anything, especially in a recession. In addition, take a look at the comments by merchants in the online petition. The problem is less about parking than the fact that the people who are already parking arent spending any money during these difficult times. So, in their eyes, why would you want to encourage fewer people to park?
ReplyDelete@Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteWe'd actually be encouraging MORE people to park, because there would be greater turnover at the curb, and it would be easier and quicker for people to find spots.
More people with no money. Why not do this when business is back a bit?
ReplyDelete