Kansas City will no longer charge special event parking rates in the River Market after outcry from business owners and residents.
A new policy approved by city council this summer established more expensive parking prices downtown and in the River Market during particular events. The city charges a flat rate between $30 and $40 if a driver parks in an event parking zone. In other times, the parking runs about $1 an hour in most areas.
Event pricing will continue in the Power & Light district. City representatives say there are no plans to introduce event-priced parking in the Crossroads.
City Manager Brian Platt said the city made changes to better support small businesses. Some business owners in the area complained that the paid parking could drive away employees and customers.
“These constant feedback and conversations with stakeholders help us continue to make everything we do just a little bit better every day,” Platt said in a statement.
Representatives for the city were not available for further comment.
The city wants paid parking to reduce traffic in high-demand areas and create more turnover, leading to more available parking spaces.
Sherae Honeycutt, a spokesperson for Kansas City, said the city is working on an employee discount program for lots and garages in the River Market area to push longer-term parkers to off-street garages.
Garages in the River Market area have monthly prices between $35 and $75.
“Cars parked on the street in front of businesses for hours or even days at a time limit the ability for customers to get close to businesses,” Honeycutt said. “It is the goal that longer-term parkers can utilize off-street lots and garages as a way to keep parking spaces available for business.”
The city provided no further details about that program.
Honeycutt said the city is not planning to increase prices going forward, but is exploring adding paid parking in other downtown areas “where parking remains a challenge.” Rates have also been modified throughout downtown areas like the Crossroads and Power & Light.
The standard rate to park in most metered spots downtown is $1/hour, or $0.25 every 15 minutes. Some zones implement progressive parking rates, meaning it gets more expensive the longer a car is parked in the same spot.
In the downtown loop, parking will cost $3.25 an hour after the first hour, which is $1. In high-demand areas, like along the streetcar line, it can reach $3 an hour.
The maximum time to park varies. Some areas allow up to three hours of parking, while others are limited to one hour.
