Meters on endangered list

Go ahead and spend your quarters, parking meters will soon be a thing of the past in downtown.

On Monday city council approved the recommendations from the Downtown Transportation and Parking Study, including a two-year pilot project to remove parking meters. Areas formerly controlled by parking meters will now have free two-hour parking.

However, the two free warning tickets per year will be abolished and parking ticket fees will increase from $10 to $25.

In addition, Second Avenue and Fourth Avenue will be changed to two-way roads from Victoria Street to Queensway.

“Finally, we’re getting rid of these parking metres,” Coun. Glen Scott said. “I like the idea that our City of Prince George, and especially our traffic services, are moving into the 21st century.”

Other changes coming to downtown include the improved bicycle lanes and bike parking; development of a five-year public transit plan; standardizing crosswalk marking, signs, signals and ramps; re-evaluating prices for off-street parking; and development of a sustainable transportation strategy.

Council adopted a motion to develop a tourist parking pass for visitors, to prevent tourists from being ticketed after two hours.

City superintendent of operations Bill Gaal said enforcing the free, two-hour parking will require three more bylaw officers in downtown. The increased fees should offset the costs of hiring the additional bylaw officers.

“I don’t think the issue of a $25 fine after two hours is too much,” Coun. Brian Skakun said.

In addition, moving Second and Fourth avenues to two-way traffic should slow down some of the traffic on those roads, he said.

“I certainly will celebrate Second and Fourth (avenues) being slowed down,” Coun. Murry Krause said. “You really do take your life in your hands when you cross a crosswalk. Every day I see people who are almost killed crossing the street.”

Downtown Prince George president Shari Green said downtown retailers welcome the change.

“It’s something that is going to be a real benefit for our customers,” Green said. “You hear that as a complaint a lot of times: parking is free in other places.”

Green said it will be important to make sure vehicles aren’t overstaying the two hours.

“They do want to see traffic moving. The onus is on business owners and staff to find alternative ways to get downtown.”

As of press time, the city had not issued a timeline for the removal of parking metres and other initiatives in the report.

The full report can be found online at the city’s website, www.city.pg.bc.ca.