The cost of metered street parking in Austin is going up

The cost of parking in a metered, on-street space in Austin is going up. Beginning next Monday, the standard meter rate around Austin will be $2 per hour.

The current metered rate is $1.20 inside the city’s downtown core, from Interstate 35 to Lamar Boulevard, and Lady Bird Lake to 10th Street. Meters outside that zone charge $1 per hour. Now all of them will cost $2 an hour.

“This rate modernization better represents the true value of street parking. It also supports the city of Austin’s goals of providing more mobility options and reducing single-occupancy vehicle trips,” Robert Spillar, director of the Austin Transportation Department, said.

The price increase was approved by Austin City Council as part of the 2019-20 budget. In a memo released Monday, ATD said the city’s parking system was intended for short parking stays.

ATD said the current system was implemented to promote quick turnover of vehicles. But ATD staff said drivers often exceed meter time restrictions, leaving their cars in spots much longer than they are allowed to. Drivers are supposed to move their cars after the posted time limit, rather than extending their stays.

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This story was produced as part of the Austin Monitor’s reporting partnership with KUT. Photo by Jorge Sanhueza-Lyon/KUT.

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