Downtown parking garages vs. street parking, which do you think is worse?

I spent 30 minutes circling last night downtown and the garages wanted $25 upfront while street spots are free but impossible to find. Does anyone else feel like the city just doesn't care about making either option work?

2 comments

2 Comments

julia_miller2429d ago

Friend of mine drove downtown last month to meet me for drinks. Took him 25 minutes to find a street spot 12 blocks from the bar. Then he got a $45 ticket for forgetting it was street cleaning day. The garage would've been faster but that's a whole dinner right there. He said next time he's just taking a rideshare and saving the headache.

riverreed29d ago

Is street parking really free though or is it just hidden costs? I mean you burn through gas circling for 20 minutes and that adds up plus the wear on your brakes and transmission from all that stop and go. The garages charging $25 feels like a straight up tax on people who just want to grab dinner or see a show downtown. But what gets me is nobody ever talks about how the city could just put up digital signs showing how many spots are left in each garage before you even turn down the ramp. Like every other major city does that and it saves so much hassle. Street parking also gets you paranoid about getting towed during rush hour or paying a ticket you can't afford.