Better get some quarters — because rates at parking meters on Atlantic Avenue and Court and Smith streets will soon rise in a push by the city to free up often-occupied spaces.
Community boards 2 and 6 unanimously approved a Department of Transportation proposal to jack up Muni-Meter fees between 9 am and 7 pm in a plan dubbed “Park Smart” on Tuesday.
“Increasing the price of parking encourages people to only park as long as they need it and let someone else use it,” said CB2 district manager Robert Perris.
Starting this spring, fees will go up on Atlantic Avenue between the Brooklyn–Queens Expressway and Fourth Avenue, and on Smith and Court streets from Atlantic Avenue to Sackett Street. Motorists will soon shell out $1.50 for an hour, rather than $1; $2.50 for 90 minutes, up from $1.50; and $4 for two hours, instead of $2.
Both boards were big backers of the plan, agreeing in separate meetings that the bustling commercial streets are ready for a six-month pilot program, which was first proposed by the merchants of the Atlantic Avenue Business Improvement District.
CB6 district manager Craig Hammerman, who has seen “Park Smart” go from a trial to a permanent part of the Park Slope streetscape on the other side of his district, said the program works.
“We’ve had an extremely positive experience with it,” said Hammerman. “It’s accomplishing the goals that we had, which primarily was to encourage a more rapid turnover of vehicles.”
And, according to Hammerman, that helps the borough’s business community and neighborhood denizens.
“It means that merchants can get more customers to the curb for parking and it means there are fewer cars circling around looking for parking, so that’s a win-win for both the residents and the businesses alike,” said Hammerman.
But some Brownstone Brooklyn workers, who opt to feed the meter all day because it’s hard to find open spaces on residential side streets, say the plan is a pain.
“It will put more of a burden on the workers pockets because we don’t have a choice but to pay this all day,” said Bay Ridge resident Liana Trisciuzzi, who is an employee at Scotto’s Wine Cellar on Court Street.
Along with the meter hikes, the city plans to extend all one-hour parking meters to two hours, install truck-only loading zones at three locations, and legalize parking at three no-parking zones.
The board votes give the city the authority to implement the program, said Hammerman.
Reach reporter Will Bredderman at wbredderman@cnglocal.com or by calling (718) 260-4507. Follow him at twitter.com/WillBredderman.
