Tucson Eyes Saturday Parking Fees: What You Need to Know

The city of Tucson is considering an extension of parking meter enforcement, set to potentially begin in early 2025. Currently, parking meters operate from Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with free parking after those hours and throughout the weekends.

The proposed modifications would adjust the hours to encompass Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., maintaining free parking after 8 p.m. and all day Sunday.

Park Tucson, the city’s parking authority, argues that the new enforcement hours aim to alleviate congestion caused by long-term parkers. This move targets popular locales such as Downtown Tucson, Fourth Avenue, Main Gate Square, Mercado District, and the University of Arizona.

Local business owner Kenji Kinu from Black Rose Tattooers expressed concern about the proposal. He noted that taking time out of a busy workday to feed the meter is challenging, and adding extended hours would exacerbate Tucson’s high cost of living. “It feels like a sneaky cash grab from a city that clearly doesn’t care about its constituents,” Kinu remarked.

The parking meter rate will remain at $1 per hour, while the penalty for parking at an expired meter is set at $42.

Tucson residents, business owners, and visitors are encouraged to provide feedback on this parking meter proposal online until November 4, 2024. Additionally, the city will hold two virtual open house meetings to discuss the changes on October 23 and October 29, both starting at 5:30 p.m.