Parking Meter Rates Rise in Back Bay

A one-year pilot program in effect as of Tuesday is raising meter rates in Back Bay and the Seaport.

The idea is to study how parking meter rates can reduce the search time for parking and reduce street congestion, according to a city press release.

Parking meter prices have not been adjusted in Boston since 2011, when they were raised to $1.25 per hour, the current price for all metered spots throughout the City, the city said. It adds: "The goal of the parking pilot is to better allocate curb spaces. At the end of the pilot experiment, a portion of any increase in revenue will be reinvested locally. All parking meter revenue is deposited into the City's Parking Meter Fund, and its uses are limited to transportation-related purposes."

In Back Bay, the model being tested entails raising meter prices to $3.75 per hour, impacting approximately 1,650 spaces. The area included in the pilot is bounded by Beacon St., Arlington St., Stuart St., Mass Ave and Charlesgate.

Over the course of the pilot, the City will collect data on parking patterns on each block of the pilot area to measure how parking occupancy changes with this adjustment in price, the city said.

The city says Back Bay street parking is at 90 percent occupancy rates on a daily basis, and the program's goal is to make drivers less inclined to park at a meter all day, and instead use off-street garages and parking lots or take another mode of transport entirely. The beneficiary? Short-term drivers who want to cruise in to sight-see, shop, grab a bite or get a haircut.

More details and a map of the impacted areas can be found here. Have thoughts? The city says residents are encouraged to share feedback on the pilot through performanceparking@boston.gov.

Photo by Steven Depolo, Flickr/Creative Commons