Ketchum reduces most of its paid parking rates

After fielding complaints when it started charging for parking in November, the city of Ketchum mostly scaled back its parking rates in early May and restored some free parking in its two downtown parking lots.

The city had asked drivers to pay $1.50 per hour to park at the city-owned parking lots at Second Street/Washington Avenue and Sixth Street/Leadville Avenue.

The new parking rates retain the $1.50 per hour charge only from 4 p.m. to midnight in the Washington lot during peak summer and winter seasons from June 15 to Sept. 15 and from Dec. 15 to March 15. From March 16 to June 14 and from Sept. 16 to Dec. 14., the evening hours rate in the 65-space Washington lot will be 75 cents per hour, according to a Ketchum news release.

Before 4 p.m., the first hour is free in the Washington lot, but drivers must still register their license plate numbers at the pay kiosk or online app. Parking beyond one hour now costs 50 cents per hour from June 15 to Sept. 15 and  from Dec. 15 to March 15 and 25 cents the rest of the year.

The new peak season rate in the 26-space Leadville lot is 50 cents per hour all day and the off-peak rate is 25 cents per hour all day.

The city started paid parking Nov. 20 to encourage downtown workers to park elsewhere, to free up the Washington and Leadville lots for visitors.