WASHINGTON — Nationals fans heading to the ballpark this season must pay to park on the street meters for all home games, the District Department of Transportation has announced.
The decision means that drivers will have to pay to park on Sundays and all city and federal holidays outside Nationals Park, even if meters are turned off everywhere else.
DDOT suspended the rules last July because it said people were confused about the rules. It also turned the meters off on New Year’s Day, even though the Winter Classic was held at Nationals Park.
New DDOT Director Leif Dormsjo decided to return to the old parking rules after telling his staff to do a better job at outreach and parking signs than the previous administration.
“To inform game-day attendees, DDOT will add temporary signs around the stadium. This policy will be in place without exception until the end of the season,” the agency writes in a news release.
But at the time of publication, no such temporary signs were posted around Nationals Park. Meters around the ballpark inform fans that for stadium evens, parking is required until 10pm from Monday through Sunday. But the meters do not mention holidays, which is what these new signs are supposed to address.
“DDOT will post the temporary signs on the meters in time for the Nationals game on the DC Emancipation Day on April 16 to inform the public about meter enforcement on that day. DDOT will adjust information on signs and meters to clarify operations during ballpark events more permanently in that area,” DDOT spokeswoman Michelle Phipps-Evans tells WTOP.
The Nationals host the Phillies on D.C. Emanciptation Day, the Giants on July 4 and the Mets on Labor Day.
The Nationals also have 13 Sunday home games when fans will have to feed the meters. The first is on April 19.
Municipal regulation 18-2424 allows the city to keep the meters on around Nationals Park during Sundays and holidays for home games. If the Nationals are not playing at home, then the meters are turned off.
