News

Commission debates meter hike

Some members raise objections to parts of proposal, City Council to discuss March 10

A public hearing regarding an increase in parking rates for Downtown Madison was unanimously approved by the Transit and Parking Commission Tuesday night.

The proposal, introduced by Bill Knobeloch, parking operations manager for Parking Utility, is the second price increase for parking meters and parking ramps since the Parking Utility’s original proposal to increase prices in 2006.

Parking rates will continue to increase at three-year intervals.

“We want it to have staying power,” Knobeloch said. “We want it to last three years so we don’t have to change the rates too close together.”

Parking Utility proposes up to a 25-cent increase in parking meter fees. In 2008 the State Street Capitol Meters collected $34,000, charging a parking rate of $1 per hour. Under the newly proposed rate increase, the meter will charge $1.25 per hour, giving the city an additional $5,758 in revenue.

Knobeloch said State Street meters will receive one of the largest price increases because State Street has “the best spots” to park.

To maintain each parking meter daily, it costs approximately $2.35, Knobeloch added.

“We want each meter to generate enough money to sustain themselves,” he said.

Parking ramps will also undergo rate increases.

According to the Parking Utility Rate Increase Proposal, monthly parking permits for Government East Ramp, one of the most popular downtown ramps, will increase by $54.

Even the State Street Campus Ramp, which charges no money for monthly parking, is proposed to charge $171 per permit.

Sharon McCabe, member of TPC, advised Parking Utility to collaborate with UW parking. She said she wants UW parking, which is cheaper than downtown parking, to raise its meter and lot rates to encourage motorists to take the bus.

Parking Utility also proposed a 20-minute “grace period” when parking, explained Knobeloch. He said people often have to “pay by foot” to get change for parking meters. Under the proposal, if people were to walk away from their vehicle to get money for the meter, they will not be charged.

Ald. Robbie Webber, District 5, was upset with the increase in special event parking ticket prices and said it will affect business downtown.

TPC member Kenneth Streit refuted, saying it is a bargain to pay $4 at the State Street Campus ramp instead of $20 at the Kohl Center parking vicinities.

Also at the meeting, Timothy Sobota, transit planner of Metro Transit, spoke about a spring trial limiting the number of bus stops throughout the Isthmus area of downtown.

Ald. Brian Solomon, District 10, added many buses stop in the middle and at the bottom hills, which uses a lot of gas.

Discussion regarding the Metro Transit system was unanimously voted to continue discussion next TPC meeting.

Knobeloch said he hopes to have the parking proposal approved at the City Council meeting March 10, adding the rate increase takes about two or three months to implement.