Car-storage rates increase downtown - Economic collapse imminent

Parking rates downtown increased yesterday.  Rates to store your car on the street for 90 minutes increased from $1 to $1.20.  Car storage for 2 hours will set you back a whopping $1.50 [Gasp!].  As far as we can tell, shoppers were still showing up yesterday and no businesses have shuttered their doors...yet.  We'll be following this issue closely because, well, we must protect the god-given right to park for free and as close to our destination as is possible.

In all seriousness, the short video above offers an excellent interview on why charging an appropriate fee for parking is in everyone's interest.  The interview is with Dr. Donald Shoup the probably the foremost authority on the economics of parking.  A quote to ponder:  "You have expensive housing for people and free parking for cars.  You've got your priorities exactly the wrong way around."  Fast forward to 3:23 and you'll hear the key reason for charging people to pay for car storage.

• The true cost of parking in Spokane [MetroSpokane]

Comments

[Mariah McKay]

How is Spokane's meter revenue currently earmarked?

[Mariah McKay]

Also, what about Spokane's private parking lots undermining such a public proposal by pricing their spots competitively? Would people then just cruise around for a Diamond lot space instead? Either way, I am all about reducing Spokane's addiction to it's private motor vehicles!

[rob]

There is no comparison between diamond parking lot prices and street parking. Diamond parking lots are usually designed for people who will be parking 3 hrs or longer. Whereas meters are designed typically for people who will be parking no longer than 3 hrs. Of course, there are meters that are longer than 3 hrs, but they are rare and usually on the fringe of the downtown core.

Personally, I am not against the price increase. It will help pay for some much needed aesthetic improvements downtown and along divison thru downtown.

[Martin Mosier]

If there are no parking spaces available on the street, the price to park is too low - often when parking on a street is free. If there are too many empty paid parking spaces on the street, the price is too high. If the price is free and there are no parkings spaces available, the fact that people might get a free parking space is irrelevant -- there are none available.

[todd]

I really liked this post. Got me thinking a lot. Thanks!