Norwalk, CT (June 28, 2016) - - Following an eight-month study, beginning July 1, the Norwalk Parking Authority will be rolling out new rates for some of its municipal parking lots and facilities for both permit holders and hourly parkers, as well as on-street parking meters.
Parkers in South Norwalk will notice the rate changes in some facilities and none in others. For example, the hourly daytime rate to park at the South Norwalk Railroad Station as well as the Haviland and North Water Street lots will increase, whereas hourly rates at the Webster Lot will remain the same. Hourly rates at the Maritime Garage and the Yankee Doodle Garage will decrease. For the first time in several years, people who park in the Wall Street area will be paying for parking at the Wall and Main Street lots during the evening for $1 flat rate all night. A parking review was conducted by nationally recognized parking consulting company Desman Associates and recommended a rate structure not only for the current fiscal year, but also taking into account long term planning as requested by the Parking Authority. This was the first such evaluation since 2007. The new rates are based on demand for parking, and are structured to ensure appropriate turn over for local businesses in the most active parking areas such as on-street parking spaces.
Newly elected Norwalk Parking Authority Chairman Dick Brescia says the Norwalk Parking Authority is committed to providing quality parking to the communities it serves. Those communities include local businesses and their customers, local government and local citizens. “These rate changes have been approved by the Authority in light of increased demand and the need to promote short term turnover. These changes allow the Parking Authority to maintain physical properties, and continue our plans for improved security and investments into technology upgrades and mobile applications to over 4,000 on and off street parking spaces.
“In the coming months, the Parking Authority will continue to explore ways to make Norwalk a better place visit by leveraging the city’s parking assets and facilities to enhance the public parking experience when visiting the urban areas of Norwalk through collaborative partnerships with restaurants, businesses, nonprofit organizations and the arts.”In the past five years, the Parking Authority has transformed parking in the urban areas of Norwalk with the addition of technology such as the ability to pay via smart phones, smart parking, giving parkers real-time occupancy data and guidance to available spaces, green initiatives such as the addition of electronic car charging stations, LED lighting, battery operated maintenance/security vehicles, and solar-powered pay stations, as well as public art initiatives in the South Norwalk Train Station and the Maritime Garage. The pay-by-cell mobile application has been particularly successful with a marked increase of parkers opting to use the mobile app to pay for parking rather than the pay stations and meters.
The Norwalk Parking Authority, comprised of five local citizens appointed by the Mayor and approved by the Common Council, is a financially self-sustaining organization responsible for the operation and maintenance of the municipal parking system in Norwalk. Its annual budget of $6.79 million is not financed by taxpayer dollars. The Authority is committed to collaborating with community organizations while providing exceptional customer service to parking customers. The Norwalk Parking Authority can be reached at (203) 831-9063 or at the website: www.norwalkpark.org. Easily pay for parking through any smartphone by downloading the free pay by cell Parkmobile app.