New meter rates begin Feb. 14 and new permit fees begin Mar. 1
Salem, Ore. – Salem City Council approved a meter rate increase from $.75/hour to $1.50/hour on Jan. 28, 2013; this new rate will go into effect Thurs., Feb. 14, 2013.
Effective Fri., Mar. 1, 2013, City of Salem fees for daily, weekly, and monthly on-street parking permits will also increase. The new pricing will be $15 for daily on-street permits, $75 for weekly on-street Construction/Maintenance permits, and $150 for monthly on-street Capitol Mall and on-street Construction/Maintenance permits. The permit fee increase is estimated to create additional revenue of between $25,000 and $50,000 annually for the City.
The City of Salem has not increased daily permit rates since March 2011, when it was increased from $6 to $8. The last time Salem’s weekly and monthly Construction/Maintenance permit rates were increased was June 1999. The new fee structure is connected to the increased meter-rate and based on a 10-hour use.
Daily On-Street Permits
Current Fee: $ 8
New Fee: $15
$ 7 increase
Daily On-Street Permits have been used for a variety of uses such as construction projects and events which require the use of on-street parking spaces. Meter capacity ranges from 2-10 hours at an hourly rate of $1.50 per hour. The new meter fee for a 10-hour day will be $15. In addition, effective Mar. 1, 2013, all daily permits will expire at the end of each calendar year they are purchased.
Weekly On-Street Permits (Construction/Maintenance)
Current Fee: $ 30
New Fee: $ 75
$ 45 increase
The Weekly On-Street Permits provide an option for construction/maintenance projects which require the use of on-street parking spaces for shorter periods of time. This permit assists those who need more than a daily, but the work will not require a full month permit. The proposed fee is correlated to the Daily On-Street Permit rate based on a five day week.
Monthly On-Street Permits (Capitol Mall and Construction/Maintenance)
Current Fee: $ 75
New Fee: $150
$ 75 increase
The Monthly On-Street Permit allows for a flexible use by those utilizing on-street parking spaces as a frequent visitor or for an extended use such as construction projects. The proposed fee doubles the current rate.
In June 2012, the City of Salem eliminated the Cash Key Program, which was an alternative to paying for metered parking with coins. A person was able to purchase a dollar value for the cash key and when they parked at a meter, the cash key was inserted into meters and the appropriate monetary amount for parking at the meter was deducted from the keys.The increase in meter rates has created a need to reinstate the Cash Key Program until existing parking meters can be evaluated for new technology upgrades. City staff will be preparing a recommendation to Council including an implementation plan and will provide additional information within the next several weeks as to how the Cash Key Program will be administered.
Source: City of Salem