If you’ve driven downtown recently you’ve probably noticed — all of your fave free parking spots seem to be metered now. On top of that, many of the spots charge “event parking,” which means your parking fee spikes to $30-$40 during major events.
Why charge now?
But why, after all this time, was our free parking oasis converted into a paid pad? According to the docket for the responsible ordinance, the change was made:
- To help control downtown traffic (read: encourage use of ride-hailing + public transportation)
- To generate more revenue for KC’s On-Street Parking program
Where is the money going?
The City of KCMO says “revenue generated from paid parking [...] may fund transportation infrastructure, public services, maintenance, and urban development projects.”
Now we have a question for you — where are you finding free parking downtown now? Let us know and you could be featured in a future newsletter.
