Extending the hours for parking meter enforcement in downtown Lawrence is worth considering, and not just because it could raise more money for city coffers.
The purpose of meters at a number of downtown locations isn't just to collect money from the parking public. It's also to encourage turnover in prime parking places. Although some downtown business owners object to the meters, they need to recognize that the system actually is designed to increase the odds that people will be able to find parking places near the businesses they want to patronize.
Lawrence city commissioners are considering the idea of extending the hours for parking meter enforcement and perhaps using the increased revenue to finance increased police patrols downtown. People parking at metered spaces now need to pay for parking between 9:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The rest of the time it's free.
That means that when people come downtown to shop at stores that keep later hours, eat an evening meal or enjoy an entertainment venue, they don't have to pay the meter, but it also means they will have little chance to find a parking place. After 5 p.m. or on Sundays, there is nothing to keep people who live or work downtown or are staying at a downtown hotel from parking their cars in prime spaces for extended periods, perhaps even overnight. That makes those spaces unavailable to people who may want park for an hour or two to shop or eat.
Extending enforcement of parking meters until 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. seven days a week would discourage long-term parking just as it does during traditional business hours.
As some merchants noted, after 5 p.m. has become prime time in downtown Lawrence. It makes no sense to quit charging for parking when the most people are looking for spaces.
Some downtown business people advocate free parking because their competitors in other parts of Lawrence and nearby cities can provide that amenity. But those businesses in Lawrence and elsewhere don't share the parking limitations of downtown. Ironically, the advantage of "free parking" is largely a matter of perception. There usually are plenty of free parking spaces available in lots and parking garages near Massachusetts Street, but even though the distance from those lots to a downtown destination is no greater than the distance across a suburban parking lot, people perceive it as less convenient.
It's a hard perception to fight, but removing parking meters from Massachusetts Street would only exacerbate the problem.
City officials will need to make sure that extending parking meter enforcement will generate more than enough money to offset the cost of that enforcement. But if the move seems cost-effective and especially if it provides a way to fund more police presence in Lawrence at night, it seems like a good move.
Comments
LJWorld.com doesn’t necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post. Read our full policy. Also, read about banned accounts and harassing comments.
Ragingbear (anonymous) says…
In other news, killing people may keep them alive...
Or something.
nekansan (anonymous) says…
The types and frequency of business traffic downtown changes after 5PM. Extending meter hours does almost nothing to encourage additional business after 5PM. In the evenings you have people that make downtown a destination, they need the extended time for parking that the lack of meters provides. They want to enjoy a walk down Mass street, dinner at a restaurant and maybe a drink after dinner. Or a live band at one of the many venues or movie at Liberty Hall. Extending parking meter hours will only serve to get more people tickets. They would be much better off to raise parking fines from $2 to perhaps $10 and enforce the regulations during the day. $10 parking fines are still moderate, but have a greater deterrent value to prevent the habitual abuse of parking that occurs. It might also help to have the city actually collect the fines from parking tickets.
consumer1 (anonymous) says…
Just sounds like another reason to NOT shop downtown to me.
boltzmann (anonymous) says…
Many of the comments here remind me of the Yogi Berraism "Nobody goes there any more, it's too crowded"
Hoots (anonymous) says…
Yeah, I sure want to get up from a nice meal at Tellers or someplace else right in the middle to walk down the street to feed a meter. Day and night are different animals. I want to be able to relax, take in a long dinner, not worry about getting a ticket and how much time is left on that
1 1/2 hour meter. We are ruled by idiots. I wish we could get a city commish that would actually think things out once in awhile. GEEEEZ!!!
luckysgirl (anonymous) says…
As a former owner of a business in the downtown area, I can tell you that the parking meters do have an impact on shopping. If Lawrence decides to lengthen the time that people have to pay for shopping, it will have an effect. No doubt about it.
People will go elsewhere to eat and shop. As it is, unless you park in the long term shopping spaces, you will not spend much time downtown during the day. 1 and 1/2 or 2 hours of time is not enough to have a light meal and shop at one or two of your favorite stores.
We used to keep a stack of quarers for our shopping patrons to use in their meters. Problem was that they frequently got there too late and were ticketed anyway. And when they got angry enough, they stopped coming back.
It would be interesting to find out who has put this suggestion out there and what their real motives are.