Could their be parking light at the end of a very dark tunnel for our neighborhood? Well, if Mayor Marty Walsh and the Performance Parking pilot program has its way, it will improve the situation. So how will it work? Well, it will put the theory of supply and demand to the test in two of the city’s most congested neighborhoods – Back Bay and South Boston’s Seaport District.
What should you be prepared for? Higher parking meter prices. According the City of Boston’s website, flexible meter rates equals more parking spots. Maybe you won’t drive your car down to the Seaport if it’s going to cost you $4 an hour for a meter. Maybe you’ll just take an Uber thus opening up a spot. “By raising meter rates in our most-congested areas, we can direct motorists to less busy streets to quickly find spots. We can also boost the use of public transportation and encourage motorists who intend to park for a long time to use off-street parking.”
So the meter prices will go up and down depending on whether the parking spots are full on certain blocks. The City of Boston hasn’t raised meter rates since 2011. This pilot program will begin January 3, 2017
Now, if only the city can help us solve our parking crisis further in the neighborhood. Hmmmm…..
All this will do is cause those commuters parking in the Seaport to park in City Point and take the bus (if they can get on it) and eat the non-resident parking ticket (if they get one prior to 10).
Yup, hit the nail on the head. I’m pretty sure “we can direct motorists to less busy streets to quickly find spots” is exactly what that means, More cars in City Point.
we need RESIDENT PARKING 24/7 PERIOD…Please, don’t give me the merchants and visitors argument..It’s 24/7 in the North End, Beacon Hill, Back Bay, Seaport, ect..I’m sick and tired of riding around (between 10 am and 6pm weekdays, and All weekend) looking for a parking spot..I urge everyone to walk up and down the streets when the resident parking ban is NOT in effect and look how many cars are parked on our Streets WITHOUT RESIDENT PARKING STICKERS!!..Try to park in some of these south shore,north shore towns ANYTIME and see how long it is before tour towed!!
With all due respect, some of us have friends and family from out of town that actually visit us and it’s harder and harder to find a spot for them.
And to your point about parking in other parts of the city and being towed, I’ve parked in multiple other areas of the city and at worst gotten a $25 ticket.
Enforcing this wouldn’t free up parking as much as it would give more time for BTD to issue tickets. I can see maybe enforcing them during the day, but what about people that work in Southie but don’t live there? I just don’t think enforcing resident stickers more is the solution to this problem. We need more tangible parking, not laws that discourage it.