Not much in life is free, but at least you can count on free parking around the D.C. area on Sundays. Now, even that could be changing, at least in Alexandria, Virginia.
As first reported by Alexandria Now, the new budget being proposed by the Alexandria City manager would begin activating parking meters on Sundays, primarily in the Old Town area. If it’s approved by the city council, it’s estimated it would generate about $700,000 a year in new revenue.
But city leaders said they aren’t doing it for the money.
“When we charge for parking, it ensures that we have more turnover and availability,” said Hillary Orr, deputy director of transportation in Alexandria. “Sundays are some of our busiest times in our commercial areas, so when parking is free, the spaces fill up and they stay occupied, making it harder for customers to find that convenient parking.”
Beth Poindexter and Tamara Embrey, who don’t live in Old Town, said the change could dissuade people from visiting Alexandria on Sundays.
“It actually makes me feel like the city doesn’t really want us to visit here,” Embrey said. “I go down for lunch in D.C. The parking is free on Sunday, and it’s nice.”
Embrey said she used to work in Old Town and was constantly moving her car every two hours. She worries it will become another hassle for others who have less flexibility too.
“I don’t know if anybody’s thinking about all the people working in all the stores and restaurants,” she said. “I guess they don’t want them to park here either.”
“Maybe it will hurt the people in the long run, like in the winter months, when the tourist season is not that great,” Poindexter added.
But the city doesn’t think so.
“People come on Saturdays and they pay for parking,” Orr told WTOP. “I think Alexandria is really unique, and the people that … are coming to our unique restaurants and our unique businesses. So, it’s not that they want to go to D.C., it’s that they want to be in our downtown district.”
She also pointed out certain blocks already have meters in operation on Sundays.
From a resident’s perspective, it might increase convenience for those who live in Old Town.
“Any way to kind of deter people from coming in out of town to take up all the parking spaces is better,” Lindsey Reed said. “Plus, I think we have a great Metro system. So, if you are going to come to the area, I think honestly driving less and having more traffic around here would be ideal.”
Reed doesn’t have a car, so it wouldn’t impact her much. But the current situation causes problems for people she knows.
“I can see the frustration of friends and people that live in the area when they come home and they have a bunch of groceries and they have to park three blocks away from their own house,” she said.
Still, Reed agreed the extra costs might deter people from visiting on Sundays, though she expressed hope more visitors would take a train or a bus instead.
Most of the region offers free parking on Sundays, and multiple city council members have stated they weren’t inclined to change that. The city council will take up the budget at the end of the month.
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