Get ready to pay more for parking in the heart of downtown Boise. A new tiered meter system goes into effect Wednesday, June 1st.
Here's how it works, the closer you park to downtown, the more you'll pay. Premium parking runs a $1.50 and increases to $2.50 for the second hour.
The farther out you park, the cheaper it is and the longer you'll be allowed to park.
"To keep the downtown business environment convenient and friendly you want parking on the street to be short term to be turned over a lot," Lynn Hightower of the Downtown Boise Association said. "You want the parking in the garages to be available for longer term parking and this tiered parking rate plan should do just that. "
But some business owners say having customers pay more for parking could hurt their businesses. Trip of Trip Taylor Bookseller said hiking fees may scare customers from even setting foot downtown.
"Some people will probably say 'that's it I'm not going to pay it.' Or there will be more concern. Anything that makes it more difficult is probably not good for us," Trip said.
The Downtown Boise Association which represents more than 300 local stores believes the system will have the opposite effect. Partnered with a free mobile app that allows users to extended their parking time remotely.
The DBA says it should help downtown thrive and cut down on parking tickets.
"On-street parking downtown is limited, but that's why you want to keep it in a system that allows that turnover," Hightower explained. "And if this system does that which it's designed to do. Then businesses should reap some benefits from that. "
The money the city collects from fees and tickets has been earmarked for transportation projects.
