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BALTIMORE (Map, News) - The news could be much worse for Baltimore commuters.
Parking costs have risen in Baltimore since last year — as they have nationwide — but city prices remain below the national average, according to a recent parking study from Colliers Pinkard, a commercial real estate firm with offices in Baltimore.
Baltimore’s average daily rate increased by $2.50, and the average monthly rate increased by $17.50, according to the study.
The rate increases didn’t surprise Donald Fry, president and chief executive officer of the Greater Baltimore Committee.
“The demand for parking in Baltimore is high,” Fry said. “We have many of our downtown workers commuting from surrounding areas, and we don’t have a comprehensive mass transit system.”
The study of 51 U.S. markets showed the average cost of monthly parking rates increased 4.4 percent across the country, in response to ongoing demand and little new construction, said Ross Moore, senior vice president and director of market and economic research at Colliers International.
“We observe a direct correlation between the rising cost of monthly parking and the ongoing strength of the office market,” Moore said in a statement.
“As businesses occupy more office space, parking inventory in central business districts nationwide is becoming increasingly tight.”
The median cost of daily parking in Baltimore is $15, while the median monthly rate is $150, according to the study. Those rates fall below national averages of $15.38 for daily parking and $152.38 for monthly parking.
Median monthly rates ranged from $35 in Phoenix to $630 in midtown Manhattan.
About 19 percent of U.S. garages reported having a waiting list, and the average wait time for a space was about five months, according to reports. Forty-three percent of cities polled indicated that new garages would be built in the next two years.
In Baltimore, there has been talk of a new parking garage at Lombard and Light streets, Fry said.
“We are also strongly advocating more mass transit throughout the Baltimore area for our downtown workers,” Fry said. “Baltimore will remain a major employment hub.”
Priciest parking districts
1. Midtown Manhattan: $630
2. Downtown Manhattan: $500
3. Boston: $460
4. San Francisco: $350
19. Baltimore: $150
(Median monthly rates)
Source: Colliers Pinkard
acannarsa@baltimoreexaminer.com
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ARTICLE HISTORY 
Comments from Examiner Readers
2:32 PM MST on Mon., Feb. 4, 2008 re: "More solar-powered parking meters coming to Baltimore"
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1:20 PM MST on Fri., Jan. 25, 2008
re: "Supervisor’s measure could please opposing sides on parking issues"
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11:15 AM MST on Wed., Jan. 23, 2008
re: "Supervisor’s measure could please opposing sides on parking issues"
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10:01 AM MST on Wed., Jan. 23, 2008
re: "Supervisor’s measure could please opposing sides on parking issues"
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12:01 PM MST on Thu., May. 10, 2007
re: "Illegally parked? New system photographs it"
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9:33 AM MST on Thu., May. 10, 2007
re: "Illegally parked? New system photographs it"
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7:57 AM MST on Thu., May. 10, 2007
re: "Illegally parked? New system photographs it"
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4:45 AM MST on Thu., May. 10, 2007
re: "New ticket device puts illegal parkers on camera"
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Examiner Reader said:
On two separate occassions the meters did not work. The first time it took my money and did not deliver a receipt. The second time it took some of my money, spit out some and did not register some, but kept it. On the first occassion the authority said they would refund my money, but it has been over a month and I have received nothing. I'm waiting for a response to the second incident but not holding my breath
248 agree | 210 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
"This is classic SF Progressive oppression of the poor. By not requiring below market rate units to provide parking, it makes life harder for the poor living there to have the same convenience regarding their cars as everyone else expects." WRONG--this measure will reduce the cost of apartments by $50,000-$80,000. That's a big chunk of change, especially for the poor, and above all for those who can't afford cars in the first place. Why should the government FORCE you to buy a parking space when you don't want one? All this rule is give you FREEDOM OF CHOICE.
178 agree | 193 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Right on Tom, poor people don't drive so why not take away their parking. You progressives give me the creeps. The minimum is ONE parking space for every FOUR units of housing and you want to take that away. Tom, you and Peskin need to Get A LIFE! I bet that Mr. Peskin has at least 2 parking spaces in his million dollar condo in Nothe Beach. Leave us alone!!!
193 agree | 198 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
This is classic SF Progressive oppression of the poor. By not requiring below market rate units to provide parking, it makes life harder for the poor living there to have the same convenience regarding their cars as everyone else expects. It makes a hard life still harder. Sad.
184 agree | 214 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
I have been in Baltimore for the last 5 years. I have a disability, because of which my lower limbs are paralyzed. Recently, I have found a spurt in disability tags for parking in the last couple of years. I surveyed 7 vehicles on Redwood street, and found five had disabled tag!!! I have found that some young people in early 20s park their vehicle and walk 5 blocks without any trouble, and I on a wheelchair is unable to get a parking place. Sometimes it has been frustrating. The cops cannot do anything, as long as these disability tags certified indiscriminately by family physicians. Unfortunately, carrying a "illegal" disabled tags no longer is a social stigma. It has become as acceptable as illegal license. I hope, this letter brings some sense of morality and social responsibility to those people using disabled tags. They should understand the hardship they are causing to the disabled community. Regards, Jeremy
340 agree | 360 disagree
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kilteddude said:
Does this mean they will stop ticketing legally parked cars? I've got 2 tickets in the last year while parked legally.
347 agree | 329 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
DAMN IT!
357 agree | 344 disagree
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Ticket Amnesty said:
Ticket fines in Baltimore are absurd....so, don't pay them. Request and officer when you go to court for your ticket+fines and if he/she doesn't show (they rarely, if ever will) you only have to pay the fine + court costs....goodbye $800 fine on $21 ticket.
639 agree | 367 disagree
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