So new legislation has all the street parking for downtown switching to pay systems. Coins and credit cards will be acceptable forms of payment for the system. The thoughts are that doing this will promote more turn over of spots, thus making the spots more available to people and that doing this will also prompt employees to use the mostly empty parking decks. Fayetteville Street, Glenwood South and city market would all be affected.

The cost is $1 per hour and is set to start this October. Payment options are coins or credit, no dollar bills are accepted.

For some reason I suspect this won't turn out as swimmingly as they suspect.

4/14/2009 9:46:30 AM

does the pay parking only last until 5?

4/14/2009 10:04:02 AM

not for glenwood. Glenwood the pay parking would last for evenings and weekends.

4/14/2009 10:07:20 AM

$1 per hour on glenwood isn't bad at all, if it means that you might be able to actually find a parking spot. i don't think people going out to spend $5/drink are going to care all that much if they have to spend $5 on parking (and hell, they should have probably taken a taxi to begin with).

4/14/2009 10:10:59 AM

I don't disagree with that point at all, however, I don't think it will actually resolve the parking issue. Especially since the city of raleigh has further intentions of removing the larger public parking spaces and making the downtown areas a continuous facade.

Revenue generation is clearly the intention, and them presenting it as a parking remedy is entirely disingenuous

4/14/2009 10:27:35 AM

will this include weekends?

4/14/2009 1:41:06 PM

so what happens if i need to take a taxi home?

How many people are going to get too drunk to drive but still do it b/c they can't leave their car without having to pay.....?

4/14/2009 3:00:05 PM

oh look, we're on our way to be a real city. sweet!

4/14/2009 3:55:30 PM

link?

it's a great idea to have people going out to bars and having to move their car instead of just getting a taxi or other ride home.

4/14/2009 11:28:20 PM

There are tons of parking garages in Raleigh, all of which operate FAR below their capacity. Nearly all of these are free on weekends and after 5 PM. Going to the bars downtown or in Glenwood South or whatever still should not be a problem. Even if they start charging to park in the areas in Glenwood South, you can park in other parts of downtown and ride the R-Line for free over to Glenwood.

4/16/2009 5:17:29 PM

sweet, drunk drivers!

If they want to be a big city, then follow NYC's lead. 7am-7pm Monday - Friday.

This is super gay.

4/16/2009 8:55:24 PM

Quote :

"Payment options are coins or credit, no dollar bills are accepted. "

Credit card but no bills? wat?

4/17/2009 12:55:29 AM

this is one of those things that people act like they care about but its not really gonna change much

4/17/2009 1:02:41 AM

Quote :

" Credit card but no bills? wat?"

yeah, they said people don't carry change as much as they used to so they needed to have an alternative option and that paper bills can be to difficult to use.

4/17/2009 9:49:53 AM

not to mention higher likelihood of robbery

4/17/2009 11:27:18 PM

I predict an increase in drunk drivers. But the gov't will love that, more income!

4/18/2009 12:05:36 AM

What is the stance?

People choose to drink?

4/18/2009 12:11:04 AM