The summer tourism season in Saratoga Springs is in full swing — and so is a novel paid parking program.
The new rules are in effect in all city-owned lots. Parking now costs Spa City visitors $2 per hour, while residents and employees of downtown businesses can apply for free parking passes.
“Pretty normal by us to always pay for parking. So, I don’t know, $2 an hour, seemed kind of cheap,” said Erin Hayes.
Erin Hayes is in Saratoga Springs for the first time from New Jersey. She would have been surprised if she didn’t have to pay.
“We have like a lot of downtown areas similar to this and most of them, you pay during the day. After 6 it’s usually free, 6 or 7,” said Hayes.
The population can nearly triple as crowds flock to Saratoga Race Course. Joe Curro, Frank Pollari and company came for their annual opening weekend trip.
“To be honest it’s—we’re so used to it in Boston, I kind of expect it,” said Curro.
“And honestly, we were lucky to find a parking space. So, if we had to pay several bucks for it, not a big deal,” said Pollari.
The group admits they could have found a street spot where parking remains free.
“But we don’t know where we’re going so we saw a lot, let’s relax for the rest of the day,” said Curro.
“Plus some of the bars are calling us, so time was of the essence,” said Pollari.
Stillwater resident Jen Natyzak lives just a short drive out of the city. She doesn’t mind the new fee.
“I recognize that cars are really expensive to build roads and infrastructure and parking garages for. And I think it’s completely appropriate to have us car owners pay for the infrastructure to keep them and that’s why I think that if you’re local this is further incentive to bus and to bike. And that keeps car traffic down, it’s a healthy way to get around and it’s an efficient way to use our infrastructure,” said Natyzak.
Some business owners remain skeptical of the overall benefit of the program. Heidi Owen West owns three businesses along Broadway.
“So, I’m hearing that there is a lot of confusion, not surprisingly, from tourists or people from out of town. The rollout has been kind of piecemeal so they’re not understanding what they should be doing at what time. So that has been confusing. I have heard out-of-towners say they don’t feel it’s tourist-friendly, again, that’s not a surprise. I’ve been polling fellow business owners, some of them have seen lower numbers,” said West.
For West and other business owners who disapprove of the program, now is the time to compile information and complaints.
Public Works Commissioner Jason Golub has promised to meet with business owners at the end of the season. Paid parking only runs through Labor Day.
Speaking with WAMC Monday, Golub says he’s optimistic that the program is working as intended.
“As I’ve said before, it’s a work in progress. And so far, I haven’t been hearing any grave concerns about the fact of parking itself. Obviously, some businessowners want to see the entire season itself and see how it plays out. But if you walked around Saratoga Springs this weekend, it was very crowded. If you walked around the weekend before, it was also very crowded. So, I think the concern that people were not going to come to Saratoga Springs because we’re charging for parking as been unfounded at least to date. But, obviously, we’re going to monitor that,” said Golub.
Golub announced this week that he will be stepping down as commissioner to pursue a role in the State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision by August 19th. He says his promised check-in with the business community will still happen.
“I am sure that a conversation will happen before I leave in the next month. But the reality is someone, whoever steps into my role, will pick up the mantle and continue to have those conversations. It isn’t going to be a one-on-one conversation. It is going to be, let’s sit down as the DPW leadership, whether it’s me or someone else, with the business community, with the DBA and plot the path forward,” said Golub.
Golub has said that more up-to-date parking pass registration numbers and projected profits will be shared at this week’s city council meeting. The program is expected to generate roughly $1.6 million in revenue with $250,000 going toward the city's downtown.
