[Archived] City Council Moves to Temporarily Reduce Old Town Parking Meter Rates

The Alexandria City Council, at its legislative meeting on October 26, took the first step toward an eventual temporary reduction of parking meter rates in the Old Town Alexandria business area. City Council’s proposed reduction will lower rates from $1.75 per hour to $1.25 per hour until new multi-space parking meters (which provide options for payment) are installed. The $1.25 meter rates will remain in effect on Saturdays and throughout the holiday season. Parking meter rates in the Carlyle area will remain at $1.75 per hour, as multi-space meters have already been installed in that area. The motion, which represents an amendment to the City Code, must undergo the formal legislative process that includes a public hearing. Final action on the motion is expected to be taken on Saturday, November 13, following a public hearing.

If the meter rate reduction is adopted on November 13, the meters will be changed to the new rates in early December. The temporary meter rate reduction would end in the spring, when the new multi-space meters are installed.

Currently, in the Old Town business area, metered parking spaces are controlled by individual, single-spaced meters, which only accept dimes and quarters for payment. The higher parking meter rates, which went into effect July 1, 2010, presented challenges to Old Town businesses, residents and visitors, who had difficulty in obtaining the amount of coins needed to pay the meters. The temporary parking rate reduction will ease these challenges until the new meters can be installed.

For more information, visit www.alexandriava.gov/Parking or contact Tony Castrilli, Director of Communications, at 703.888.7166 or tony.castrilli@alexandriava.gov