Contact: Esther Bowring, 240-777-6530
Albert J. Genetti, Jr., 240-777-7170

For Immediate Release: April 26, 2001

BETHESDA PARKING RATES TO CHANGE MAY 1
Officials Encourage Public to Use Transit

Starting May 1, parking rates will change in downtown Bethesda. This increase, the first in over a decade, will help fund additional parking garages and provide an incentive for more people to use public transit.

“Downtown Bethesda is a thriving urban area and a highly desirable destination in the Washington metropolitan area,” said Montgomery County Department of Public Works and Transportation Director Al Genetti, Jr. “And with that success has come an increase in traffic that affects the quality of life of residents, employees, and visitors. Our objective is to try and provide adequate parking for those who choose to drive to Bethesda, while offering a wide range of transit alternatives for those who do not.”

Ninety percent of the over 6,000 public parking spaces owned by the County will remain free of charge on weekends and County holidays. However, payment will be required until 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday at on-street parking meters, bringing uniformity throughout Bethesda. Short term parking rates will increase from $.50 to $.75 an hour. Long-term parking will cost $.50 an hour, compared to the current $.40 an hour. Payment will also be required Monday through Friday at lots and garages.

The cost of a parking permit will increase from $75 to $85 a month. A special $20 a month part-time parking permit may be purchased by downtown residents and evening employees to park at long-term spaces from 7 to 9 a.m. and 6 to 10 p.m. Monthly carpool and vanpool permits will each increase by $10, and will henceforth cost $70 for a two-person carpool, $40 for three or more people, and $10 for five or more people.

These changes will be phased in over several weeks, as each meter must be individually reset to reflect the new rates.

Short-term parking rates in Bethesda have not increased since 1986, and long-term rates have not risen since 1989. Parking rate increases help pay for additional parking facilities, including the 750-space Auburn-Del Ray Garage (currently under construction and opening later in 2001), alternative transit options, and the refurbishment of existing parking garages, several of which are now more than 30 years old.

“It's only fair for those who park in Bethesda to pay the full cost of building and keeping up garages, and fair parking charges promise many benefits,” said Ben Ross, President of the Action Committee for Transit. “The Beltway and other crowded highways will no longer carry unnecessary traffic attracted by parking subsidies. Commuters who live near mass transit will be able to select the most convenient and economical way to get to work. For those who must drive, parking will be easier to find as transit use rises."

The County has been meeting with affected businesses and residents since mid-1999 to discuss the proposed changes.

To find a map that shows the location of off-street parking lots and garages that are free on weekends, go to the Department of Public Works' Parking Services website at www.dpwt.com/parking.

For more information about parking rate increases, contact Thomas D. Huff, chief, Office of Parking Management at 240-777-2190. For information about transit options in Bethesda, contact Francine Waters, director Bethesda Transportation Solutions at 301-656-0868.

Eleanor Rice, president, Locust Hills Civic Association, 301-530-7386 and Richard Hoye, vice president, Action Committee for Transit, 301-718-3484, are also available to provide additional information.

Using transit is the best way to keep Bethesda a successful and thriving urban center. New parking rates – last adjusted more than a decade ago – will help us increase your transit options, while providing additional parking facilities and maintaining existing ones.

On-Street Parking
Payment required Monday - Saturday, 9 a.m.-10 p.m.
FREE parking Sunday and County holidays
All Meters $.75 per hour

Off-Street Parking – Lots and Garages
Payment required Monday - Friday, 7 a.m.-10 p.m.
FREE parking Saturday, Sunday, and County holidays
All short-term meters (3 hours or less) $.75 per hour
All long-term meters (over 3 hours) $.50 per hour

Cashier-Operated Garages
First 3 hours -- $.75 per hour
Each hour over 3 hours -- $.50 per hour

Monthly Permits

At garages and lots
Full-time rate -- $85.00 per month
Part-time rate -- $20.00 per month from 7 –9 a.m. and 6 – 10 p.m.

Carpools and Vanpools
2 people -- $70 per month
3 or 4 people -- $40 per month
5 or more -- $10 per month

Public Parking Contacts
For information, general questions or comments about parking, check the website at www.dpwt.com/parking or : Phone: 240-777-2190
Fax: 240-777-2080
E-mail: trafpark@montgomerycountymd.gov
Mail: Traffic and Parking Services
101 Monroe Street, 11th Floor
Rockville, MD 20850

• For permit or CashKey questions: Phone 301-565-7693
• For parking violation questions: Phone 301-565-7696
• For maintenance questions: Phone 301-565-7381
• For broken meters: Phone 301-565-7696
• In case of police emergency in public parking facilities: Police emergency Phone 911
  Police non-emergency Phone 301-279-8000
• General questions or comments on transit or carpooling: Phone 301-656-0868

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