Downtown Boise parking is heading toward steep price increases

Parking rates in downtown Boise garages operated by Capital City Development Corp. could go up by nearly 30 percent starting in February.

CCDC on Oct. 9 first announced the proposed rate increase for all classes of parking in its eight garages. The CCDC Board of Commissioners on Nov. 13 will host public comment on the rate increases before deciding the matter.

The largest proposed monthly increases are from $135 to $175 in the Capitol & Main (former Capitol Terrace) and Ninth & Main (former Eastman) garages. Reserved parking in Capital & Main could go from $170 to $220, according to Max Clark, CCDC’s parking and facilities director.

The first hour parking would remain free but the rate for subsequent hourly parking would go from $2.50 per hour to $3 per hour and the daily maximum would go from $12 to $15.

New rates were based on results of a parking survey CCDC conducted Aug. 12-20 that drew 748 respondents. The sweet spot was determined based on how many monthly pass holders would drop out at various suggested increases and how much waiting-list customers were willing to pay for a pass, said Matt Edmond, a CCDC project manager.

“We’re trying to up with a pricing strategy that balances availability, affordability and convenience,” Edmond said.

CCDC garages have about 1,700 month pass holders and about 550 people on waiting lists for a monthly pass, Edmond said.

Monthly rates were last increased in January 2016 but not since 2008 before then. The hourly rates were last increased in 2008, Clark said.

The monthly rates in the Ninth & Front, Capitol & Myrtle and Capitol & Front garages are proposed to go up from $120 to $140.

The monthly rate for the public parking spaces at the new The Fowler apartments at Fifth and Broad streets is proposed at $175, and a $100 monthly fee is in the works for the public spaces in the new Pioneer Crossing garage at 11^th and Front streets. Both are set to open in the coming months.

The increased revenue will be used for park and ride lots, preferential carpool parking, more motorcycle and bicycle parking and public transit, Edmond said.

The complete proposed parking rate structure can be found on CCDC’s website.