The Philadelphia Parking Authority will raise rates for metered spaces in two zones of Center City starting Tuesday, marking the first increase in the city's hourly fee since 2014.
Each of the two parking zones will get a $1 hike in the hourly rate. The Center City Core zone runs from Arch Street south to Locust Street, and from Fourth Street west to 20th Street. Rates there will rise from $3 to $4 per hour. The larger Center City Area zone runs from Spring Garden Street south to Bainbridge Street, and from the Schuylkill River to the Delaware River, excluding streets in the core zone. The rate for the bigger area will go from $2.50 to $3.50 per hour.
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Rates for Center City's long-term parking meters – those that have four-hour and 12-hour time limits – will increase from $1.50 to $2.50 per hour.
The two Center City parking zones are shown in the map below.
The parking rate increase was part of the $6.8 billion budget City Council approved earlier this month. The revenue generated by the change is projeced to raise $4 million annually for the School District of Philadelphia.
Drivers can use the ParkMobile app to pay for metered parking or use one of PPA's pay-by-plate kiosks, which track vehicles using license plate numbers. There are about 2,000 kiosks installed throughout the city.
In addition to funding the the school district, PPA hopes the higher parking rates will increase turnover of parking spaces and reduce congestion in Center City.