Parking Price Hikes Considered In Alexandria: See Changes

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Alexandria residents and visitors who park in paid spaces could soon be shelling out more.

Plans for price increases to parking meter fees and some parking garage fees were presented to the Alexandria Traffic and Parking Board Monday. The board voted to recommend to Alexandria City Council increasing the meter rate from $1.75 per hour to $3 per hour. Members were also briefed on planned increases to maximum parking fees for select city garages, which can be implemented without board or city council action.

Parking Meter Fees

The board's approved $3 parking meter rate was above the city staff recommended $2. An increase for pay-by-phone blocks with fees charged to non-residents is also recommended to increase.

The current $1.75 per hour parking meter rate has been in place since 2010, when the fee was last increased from $1 per hour. Most of the city's metered parking spots are in Old Town along King Street and one or two blocks to the north and south, but other locations are around Carlyle, Eisenhower East and Potomac Yard.

"Pricing is a really important tool that we have to manage the curb, and it's becoming more and more important as we have more things competing and demanding the curb space — the parklets, the pickup and drop-off zones, trying to make accessible bus stops," Katye North, the division chief of mobility services with the city's Transportation and Environmental Services, told the board.

The proposal to increase the parking meter rates would not affect those previously approved for special all-day rates. The city has six streets with an all-day rate of $1 per hour or a maximum $5 per day — Jaimeson Avenue east of Holland Lane streets south of Eisenhower Avenue immediately west of Holland Lane.

The city is also working with a company to manage parking through technology. The project is mapping the streets with considerations for parking restrictions on each street.

"Once that gets up and running, that would be a good tool for us to look at how occupied a block is, look at whether pricing needs to be adjusted based on those occupancies," said North.

Del Ray is one of the neighborhoods without parking meter fees. North said that Del Ray's business and civic associations did not show support for parking meters during a pre-COVID parking study. North indicated the city could choose to revive the discussion with the groups.

"We don't want to put something in place that everyone completely hates but [recognize] that there is probably some sort of need for pricing management along the [Mount Vernon] Avenue there," said North.

North noted that the parking meter proposal would go to a City Council's legislative meeting, which means there wouldn't be public comment. However, the public may submit written comments.

Parking Garage Fees

In addition to the parking meter rates, the Traffic and Parking Board received notice of a planned increase to the maximum daily rate to some parking garages. Starting on July 1, the city will increase the maximum daily parking rate for Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays from $5 to $10 at the Market Square, North Union Street and Thompson’s Alley garages. The hourly rate will continue to be $2.

The director of the city's Transportation and Environmental Services can change garage parking rates under authority granted by Alexandria City Council in June 2022. The Traffic and Parking Board must be notified before any price changes.

The changes do not affect the Courthouse garage, which will remain at $1 per hour or $5 per day on weekdays after 5 p.m. and weekends ($2 per hour and maximum $10 on weekdays). The city is hoping the parking rate changes will encourage visitors to use the underutilized Courthouse garage on weekends to reduce demand at garages closer to the waterfront and City Hall. The city estimates privately-owned garages remain more expense, at costs between $15 and $18 per day.