RSS
Home
Extending parking meter hours in San Francisco
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
A study released Tuesday by San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency recommends extending parking meter hours in some neighborhoods throughout the city. Districts like North Beach and the Castro could pay more and longer hours, even on Sundays and up until midnight. 
Meters in popular areas like the Inner Mission, North Beach and around Union Square would run through midnight every night except Sundays. The study finds the varying meter hours will be based on the neighborhood's availability of parking and the area’s vibrant nightlife.
According to SFMTA Chief Financial Officer Sonali Bose, the longer hours could raise $8.8 million a year, after a $2.5 million implementation cost for the city's transit system.
Oakland officials in September lengthened parking by two hours at downtown shopping district but public anger forced the city to roll back meter times.
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom has come out against the idea. Mayor’s spokesman, Nathan Ballard in a statement said, "In this economy, we can't ask people to pay more for parking. Our small businesses don't need one more reason for people to stay away."
SFMTA Executive Director Nathaniel Ford says the study is a starting point for a discussion. "It's going to be a passionate debate."
The MTA board will hear the proposal at its Oct. 20 meeting. Beyond that, the agency has no timeline for the ensuing discussion or potential implementation, Ford said.
Related Articles:
Add a Comment
