Local

Parking meter plan gets mixed reviews from downtown workers, visitors

A proposal to split downtown Tulsa into parking zones with differing rates seems to have some opposition from the people who work and do business in the area.

KRMG spoke with a number of people in the area around city hall and didn't come across anyone who thought the mayor's proposal was a good idea.

Tulsa's parking rates haven't changed in a long time.

City leaders say it's an issue that must be addressed.

Mayor Dewey Bartlett's plan would create a number of parking districts, including the BOK-Convention Center District, the Core Business District, the Restaurant and Entertainment District (think Blue Dome), the South District (south of E. 7th St.) and the Financial District.

Prices for parking would range from 30 cents per hour to as much as two dollars per hour.

Current rates range from about ten cents per half hour to 25 cents per half hour.

The city hasn't increased those rates in more than twenty years.

The plan would also increase the hours when feeding the meters is mandatory, with the new hours running from 7:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.

The city maintains that the system badly needs an upgrade.

Nearly half of the meters downtown were offline during a recent check.

Consultants say many downtown business owners want the higher parking rates.

Employees who work downtown may have to find new places to park their cars if the much higher rates go into effect.

That might have the benefit of freeing up many more parking places for people who are simply visiting downtown to shop, eat, do some banking or conduct business at city hall.

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