Free Parking on Saturdays? Lower Merion Commissioner Proposes Policy Change

Lower Merion's Board of Commissioners might soon discuss the possibility of allowing free parking throughout the township on Saturdays, if Ward 11 Commissioner Lew Gould's proposal at Wednesday night's meeting gains traction.

"I would like to propose for consideration at a finance (commitee) meeting in September that the township eliminate metered parking on Saturdays and perhaps even start the non-metered parking as early as perhaps 2 o'clock in the afternoon Friday," said Gould, a representative of Bryn Mawr, Gladwyne and Rosemont and one of four Republican members of the 14-seat board.

Gould suggested that the move could boost the township's business district. He used as an example the businesses of Ardmore, where he sees more success on the north side than the south side, where there is less access to free parking.

"If you look around the communities where there are vibrant downtown shopping areas, one thing that is common to them is the ability to have free parking in the business district," Gould said. "Things are very, very tough in our business communities."

The township already observes free parking Saturdays in the weeks before the winter holidays.

The board took no action on Gould's suggestion at Wednesday's meeting, which was the last one scheduled until a session Sept. 6.