TRAVERSE CITY -- The free parking program for the Old Town deck is set to end this week.
Parkers in the new Old Town Parking Deck will have to pay to use that facility beginning Wednesday, August 25, 2010.
The City of Traverse City, who owns the parking structure, and the Traverse City DDA, the operator, were pleased to open the parking deck early in time for the Traverse City Film Festival. The parking deck was opened prior to installation and activation of all of the pay and parking control systems. Parkers visiting Downtown Traverse City have had the opportunity to use the deck at no charge up to this point.
The 522-space parking structure includes 97 metered spaces on the ground level where parkers prepay at one of two meter pay stations. The rate is $0.60 per hour for up to four hours. Both hourly and permit parkers can use the other three levels. Hourly parkers pull a ticket upon entering and can pay when leaving using either a credit card or cash. A $0.50 hourly rate applies on the upper levels. Just like with the on-street meters, hourly rates are in effect from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. There is no charge for use at other times.
Open 24 hours, the first level is accessible from the alley that runs between Lake Street and East Eighth Street behind the AT&T store and Brady's Bar. The upper levels are accessible off of East Eighth Street.
The parking structure includes eighteen state of the art car-charging stations for smart cars and bike parking in the form of bike lockers and covered bike racks on the first floor. Bike lockers may be rented on an hourly or extended period of time through the Auto Parking Services office, located in the Hardy Parking Deck.
Bryan Crough, Executive Director of the DDA, said; "We were pleased to open the parking deck early to help accommodate Traverse City Film Festival patrons. We will have staff at the Old Town Deck on the 25th and 26th to help parkers get used to the two different pay systems." The pay stations on the first level are the first in Traverse City and allow for more efficient management and enforcement.
