AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- Changes are coming to Austin's on-street parking - changes the city says will make it easier for people to park across the city.
A new uniform rate structure goes into effect beginning Tuesday, establishing a uniform maximum stay time of 10 hours and a tiered rate that increases the longer you remain parked.
The first two hours will remain unchanged at $2 per hour; beginning with the third hour, the hourly rate begins to increase until it reaches $5 per hour at the 7-hour mark. A maximum 10-hour parking session will now cost $39.00. The city says the new rates are designed to promote space turnover and discourage those using on-street parking as a commuter parking space.
The city will also be implementing a "pay-by-plate" system, eliminating the current sticker-based system. This will allow customers to extend their parking session as needed, including via the Park ATX mobile app, and cut down on the waste created by the stickers.
City officials say the conversion of the pay stations will take about a month and a half to complete, starting with the downtown area and then the rest of Austin's more than 8,000 paid parking spaces.
