If you’ve ever spent half an hour or more looking for parking in Saratoga, you’re not alone.
While the idea of paying for parking in Saratoga probably doesn’t sound appealing, it may be a way to handle the ongoing parking problem, according to an advisory committee appointed to deal with this exact issue.
How Will Paid Parking Help?
Mayor Joanne Yepsen put together a parking task force in January to look into long-term parking management, and paid parking is among the suggestions being discussed.
The task force pointed out that many other cities and tourist destinations have paid parking. Private parking management companies tend to work for a flat fee or a percentage of revenue, and they handle things like revenue collection, ticketing, security, and overall maintenance.
Harvey Fox, owner of N. Fox Jewelers on Broadway, is chair of the task force, and he believes that effectively managing parking in Saratoga would subsequently help the flow of traffic; residents and visitors would no longer have to circle around the city for inordinate periods of time searching for parking.
Are There Other Options?
Are There Other Options?
Two other options are also on the table: shuttles and efficiency studies.
Although the Capital District Transportation Authority already operates a seasonal shuttle, the task force also recommended the city work with organizations to promote the use of shuttles when possible.
A professional management company could also be brought in to conduct studies in Saratoga to determine what the best solution could be.
“I think a professional management company might be able to provide some consistency and look at this as something that needs to be done on a permanent, full-time basis,” Public Safety Commissioner Christian Mathisen told The Saratogian. “There are a lot of parking resources in the city and they could be managed in a more effective way than what’s being done.”
Between parking garages and decks, parking lots, and street parking, there are roughly 2,600 public parking spaces in the city; this is not including private parking, of which there are 4,250 spaces. And yet, parking has unarguably been a problem in Saratoga Springs for decades, particularly during the tourism season.
It may just be worth it to shell out a few dollars for parking, in exchange for being able to find a spot in a decent amount of time – one that has access to the many shops, restaurants, and other attractions we all visit.
In addition to the task force’s recommendations, a multi-story parking garage on High Rock Avenue has been in the works for quite some time, but the project has been delayed due to two lawsuits.
In the meantime, check out our Parking in Downtown Saratoga to find the best options for both parking garages and parking lots in the city.
Sources:
- Saratogian: Task force driven to find solutions to parking problems
