Columbus' parking meter rates now higher than NYC and Boston!

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Columbus' parking meter rates now higher than NYC and Boston!

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Started 2 years ago by lizless
Latest reply from futureman

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lizless
Columbus/Hocking Hills
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The new meter rates go into effect today. No input from small business was factored into the decision and we are worried. In fact the meter rate increase was a unilateral decision brought to us from our Public Services Department. No studies or research has been conducted to best raise the rates though some great ideas have been brought forth (and thus far ignored). This is an across the board rate increase, little thought, research or planning went into the decision and how it affects stakeholders. It's too bad many of the small businesses won't survive to 2012 to see the promised new smart meter heads or enjoy the increased business from the new hotel.

The meters next to Cafe Brioso on Gay Street will now cost a quarter for three minutes, better get your coffee quick. At Tip Top and Due Amici, your quarter will earn you five minutes. In the Short North, a quarter will get you ten minutes.

Our rates are significantly higher than both NYC and Boston. In Boston, a quarter gains you 15 minutes. In NYC, your quarter gets you 20 minutes.

What's up, City of Columbus?

Posted 2 years ago #
lifeontwowheels
Highland West
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What a blow. You guys are having a tough month. Hopefully the city comes to its senses.

Posted 2 years ago #
honavery
Arizona
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Unbelievable.

Posted 2 years ago #
Walker
The KLD / Downtown
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I'm still waiting for Mike Brown to answer all of my unanswered questions:

http://www.columbusunderground.com/parking-meter-rate-increase-to-take-effect-nov-30th

:P

Posted 2 years ago #
joev
Merion Village
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Tip Top might do well to promote parking under the Statehouse - it's $1-2 an hour, depending on the time of day.
I'll have to come out to support you soon!

Posted 2 years ago #
catnfiddle
Giant Corncob District
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Did the rates for motorcycle / scooter stickers also increase? If not, this is a major incentive to get something a little more fuel efficient and park with more ease (despite the knee freeze).

Posted 2 years ago #
lifeontwowheels
Highland West
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catnfiddle wrote >>
Did the rates for motorcycle / scooter stickers also increase? If not, this is a major incentive to get something a little more fuel efficient and park with more ease (despite the knee freeze).

Two wheels, of any kind and depending on the weather, may help. Maybe we can work to convince businesses to expand discounts and promotions for pedestrians/cyclists/motorcyclists.

Posted 2 years ago #
JonMyers
Ao Nang, Krabi, Thailand
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Feels like hell in a hand basket around here lately.

Posted 2 years ago #
drew

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lizless wrote >>
The meters next to Cafe Brioso on Gay Street will now cost a quarter for three minutes, better get your coffee quick. At Tip Top and Due Amici, your quarter will earn you five minutes. In the Short North, a quarter will get you ten minutes.

Completely absurd!

Edit - I'm so stunned, I couldn't come up with much else to say! The rate increase struck me as a Big Bad Idea before now, but this is the first time I understood the actual amount of the rate increases. Unbelievable. This makes downtown just insanely inhospitable to visitors. Big, big, mistake.

Posted 2 years ago #
Core_Models
Columbus
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Looks like I'll be adding to my already impressive collection of unpaid parking tickets. I will also be returning to my habit of putting an old ticket on my windshield whenever I park downtown.

Posted 2 years ago #
Cookie
Flyntonville
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Core_Models wrote >>
Looks like I'll be adding to my already impressive collection of unpaid parking tickets. I will also be returning to my habit of putting an old ticket on my windshield whenever I park downtown.

Classy.

Posted 2 years ago #
Core_Models
Columbus
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Yep, paying parking tickets and class have so much in common...this isn't child support I'm not paying, its parking tickets.

Posted 2 years ago #
CFABaller

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I find myself agreeing with you a lot Core. Some of these people take themselves way too seriously on here. I personally don't like to pay any tickets. Then I get my license suspended for not paying them, and when I get pulled over I have no license and a warrant out for unpaid tickets. Then my car gets impounded, and I have to post a $250 dollar bond to get out of jail. I mean hey, its the principle right?

Posted 2 years ago #
DavidF
Elysium Fields
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Yay! Columbus is finally ahead of the major cities on something. Take that NYC! (Trying to find an upside to this, and believe me, it ain't easy)

Posted 2 years ago #
groundrules

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did they raise the rates those valet companies have to pay to turn the public streets private?

Posted 2 years ago #
rus

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DavidF wrote >>
Yay! Columbus is finally ahead of the major cities on something. Take that NYC! (Trying to find an upside to this, and believe me, it ain't easy)

Any chance this would increase COTA ridership? Presuming that's a good thing, of course...

Posted 2 years ago #
Core_Models
Columbus
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groundrules wrote >>
did they raise the rates those valet companies have to pay to turn the public streets private?

That's an excellent question, and one I'd be very interested in hearing the answer to as I've been totally hosed by those guys more than once.

Posted 2 years ago #
blammo
in the shadow of the wonder of bread
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rus wrote >>

DavidF wrote >>
Yay! Columbus is finally ahead of the major cities on something. Take that NYC! (Trying to find an upside to this, and believe me, it ain't easy)

Any chance this would increase COTA ridership? Presuming that's a good thing, of course...

if the goal is to "open up" more parking downtown, I imagine this tactic will succeed.

Posted 2 years ago #
roy
Downtown
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DISPATCH EDITORIAL

Parking-meter blues
City officials fail to consider ill effects of increase in rates
Wednesday, November 25, 2009 2:55 AM

The city, its taxpayers and private businesses all have invested a lot of money and effort in making Downtown a better place to live and play. Any policy changes that would affect those efforts should be considered carefully and explained thoroughly.

That doesn't appear to have been the case with a recent decision by city Public Service Department officials to raise the cost of parking by half at every one of the city's 4,200 or so street meters. These officials are not required to seek input or get approval from the City Council or residents to raise parking-meter rates. But that doesn't mean they shouldn't seek it.

Opponents of the across-the-board increase have raised solid questions about the decision, and have offered alternatives. They should be heard.

The city's Transportation and Pedestrian Commission, an advisory panel charged with making Columbus neighborhoods livable, was taken by surprise by the announcement of the meter-rate increase at a commission meeting last month.

Commission members have asked for a public meeting to discuss the issue, but administration officials so far have declined.

Short North Business Association Executive Director John Angelo, who struggles daily with the problem of potential patrons of Short North businesses being scared off by parking difficulties, says the city could raise more parking-meter money by tinkering with meter hours and selective rate changes than with the proposed across-the-board increase.

Currently most city meters are in effect from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Angelo proposes extending meters in the Short North, which has its greatest traffic in the evening, to 9 p.m. That not only would raise more money but would help Short North merchants by forcing turnover at meters, opening up more parking possibilities for patrons.

Some people also would like to see more meters that can be paid for with credit cards. The convenience would go far to reduce potential visitors' anxiety and aggravation over parking.

The people who live in city neighborhoods such as the Short North, Arena District, Brewery District and Downtown, along with those who own and patronize businesses there, are putting their time and money toward the goal of a more-vibrant city. Their efforts should be encouraged whenever possible.

If opponents of the parking-meter increase have ideas that could raise more money and alienate fewer parkers, the city should hear them out.

Posted 2 years ago #
Core_Models
Columbus
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Ewww, gotta say the only thing worse than across the board meter increases for me would be extending the SN meters to 9:00. I like going for a drink or a meal and not worrying if I put enough change in the meter to stay for another half hour! I get the idea of traffic turnover, but that just seems like a bad idea.

Posted 2 years ago #