Parking options available

In response to Walter Johnston’s Nov. 21 letter, “Free holiday parking,” I would like to point out why on-street parking is metered: charging for curbside parking results in turnover, which then allows other customers access to metered parking. Without the motivation to move vehicles elsewhere, drivers would park their vehicles for as long as they wanted, in effect removing spaces from circulation.

This was attempted last in 1995 in Spokane, and as with other municipalities the result is the same: unmetered on-street parking would for the most part go to downtown workers who arrive early in the day, depriving shoppers and patrons of on-street parking.

Additionally, his letter does not acknowledge off-street parking.

I would recommend that if Mr. Johnston wants to “shop at … leisure without the pending doom of a parking ticket” that he park in one of the thousands of off-street spaces located in downtown’s garages and lots.

Finally, downtown businesses through the Business Improvement District and several partner organizations provide for a range of parking incentives, including the Courtesy Ticket (essentially a one-time free pass on a parking ticket), EasyPark dollar-off validation and the City Ticket employee parking lot at the Arena.

For more information: www.downtownspokane.net.

Andrew Rolwes

Public parking and policy manager

Spokane