This is what Bellingham street parking will soon cost

Metered parking rates will rise by 50% in Bellingham next year, and the city will end its two-hour limit by charging progressively more expensive fees for drivers who stay longer.

New rates start in the new year, said Carol Rofkar, the superintendent of operations in the Department of Public Works.

“While we recognize that nobody likes to pay for parking, we know that parking management is essential to support businesses and promote a vibrant economy. And charging the right price at the right time is necessary to ensure turnover and access to the finite supply of on-street parking supporting local businesses,” Rofkar told The Bellingham Herald in an email.

On-street parking will increase to $1.50 an hour from $1 an hour in January, after rising from 75 cents an hour and adding paid parking in Fairhaven earlier this year.

So-called “progressive” parking rates also start in January, and the prices will be:

▪ $1.50 per hour for the first two hours.

▪ $2 per hour for the third and fourth hours.

▪ $3 per hour for the fifth and sixth hours.

▪ $5 per hour for the seventh and eighth hours.

That amounts to $23 for someone who parks all day at a downtown meter for the hours of paid parking, which are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Saturday.

At the same time, the city will be raising rates for monthly parking permits in some locations and slashing them in others, Rofkar said.

“It’s important to know that in addition to metered street parking, parking garages and off-street lots with limited permit parking are available for residents, employees and others seeking longer-term parking. Reduced permit rates may be available for certain low-income individuals,” Rofkar said.

The greatest declines will be at the Commercial Street Parking Garage, once known as the Parkade, and in the 1500 block of Railroad Avenue, north of the Whatcom Transportation Authority bus depot.

▪ Monthly fees at the Commercial Street garage will drop to $30 from $75 for floors 2-5.

▪ Monthly fees will drop to $25 from $45 in the 1500 block of Railroad Avenue.

Funds collected from parking fees are used to pay for cleaning, landscaping, graffiti removal and support for the Downtown Business Partnership and the Fairhaven Merchants Association. City parking facilities maintenance and operations are also supported with parking fees.

Parking revenue was $1.5 million in 2021 and $1.8 million so far in 2022, Rofkar said.

‘Smart’ meters

Downtown visitors soon will find more meters that accept electronic payment, Rofkar said.

“We are converting all the single meters in downtown to ‘smart’ meters that will accept credit cards. People now have the option to pay with coin, credit card or the Pay-By-Phone app on these meters,” she said.

Meter conversion is about a third of the way complete, and they will replace the current pay stations near City Hall and the Bellingham Public Library.

Parking enforcement

There are two parking enforcement officers with plans to hire two more next year, after the city went several months without parking enforcement, Rofkar said.

More tickets are being issued, and steps are being taken to tow cars with more than one ticket, she said.

“When a vehicle has more than one violation on the windshield it may indicate the vehicle is abandoned; the city starts the process to remove the vehicle from the location if it appears abandoned,” Rofkar said.

Once union agreements are finalized, parking control officers will move to the Public Works Department from the Police Department — likely within the next two years, she said.