City officials defend downtown parking changes

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BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) - Buffalo Parking Commissioner Kevin Helfer said Wednesday was the first phase of the new parking rules in the City of Buffalo with the implementation of new parking signs. 

Areas of Downtown Buffalo saw parking rates double in some spots while free parking after 5 p.m. is largely a thing of the past in areas including downtown and Canalside.

Buffalo Common Council Pressident Darius Pridgen is already proposing the city drop the expanded pay-parking hours. READ MORE ON THAT HERE.

New metered parking is set to take effect in the City of Buffalo. Crews will be out today making the switch in signs downtown. Here’s where they all change. pic.twitter.com/glvsGXBhT9

— WBEN NewsRadio 930AM (@NewsRadio930) January 2, 2019

"Part of this plan was to increase an additional 700 parking spaces in downtown Buffalo and a lot of them are down by the arena," Helfer told WBEN ahead of Wednesday's committee meetings in Buffalo. "People are going to special events, Sabres games, etc. are paying $15 in a surface lot, $20 in a ramp, and private operators are sometimes getting $25-$30 depending on the event. We're offering an event parking rate that goes into effect from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. at $2 per hour. That's in the area directly around KeyBank Center."

Most of the parking rates downtown are $2 per hour, though some areas like Michigan Avenue, Elm Street, and Oak Street are now $2 for ten hours and St. Michaels Place is $1 per hour. 

Helfer said that this has been a plan for a while and said that parking should be adaptable. 

"We have agreed that we want to come back in 90 days," Helfer said. "We need the data. We need the metrics. We need the science behind this." 

Access is key according to the commissioner.

"It will have no impact on Elmwood Avenue," Feroleto said. "It's not going to affect Elmwood Avenue. It's not going to affect Hertel Avenue. Elmwood and Hertel is still free after 5 p.m. and free on the weekends. The rates are going to stay the same that they already were."

Elmwood Avenue will be affected by some of the parking measures as all of Elmwood south of Tupper Street will see changes in the parking rates. However, none of these rates affect Elmwood Village.