New Limits Proposed For Parking On Streets

Rates on Meters Would Increase

D.C. Council member Tommy Wells yesterday proposed new parking restrictions around the Washington Nationals ballpark in hopes of reducing traffic congestion that he said is a potential "crisis."

The plan would put new time limits on parking and charge much higher rates at meters -- intended to match parking garage prices -- on many streets north and southwest of the baseball stadium under construction on South Capitol Street near the Anacostia River.

"We do have kind of a transportation crisis looming around the stadium," said Wells (D-Ward 6.)

The parking restrictions are part of a larger effort to encourage fans to carpool, take public transportation or ride bikes to games.

The restrictions, subject to D.C. Council approval, are part of a pilot program for congested areas of Ward 6, including some streets near Capitol Hill. Residents would continue to be able to park without cost.

Wells said he wanted to take a more market-driven approach to the price of street parking. That way, he said, drivers would be inclined to park only as long as necessary and spaces would turn over more often not only for businesses near the ballpark but also for those along Pennsylvania Avenue and other retail corridors.

Driving the urgency is the ballpark. It will host more than 80 games and numerous other special events throughout the year. Both the Nationals, which want fans to have a pleasurable experience, and residents, who are concerned about being inundated with cars, have been worried about the lack of parking in the neighborhood.

"The ballpark visitors are going to be very tempted to look for cheap parking" on city streets, said Neha Bhatt, a planner in Wells's office. "We've got to get that out of people's heads that free parking exists here."

The exact streets to be affected by Wells's proposal are still being worked out. The restrictions would limit some street parking to ward residents only.

Some blocks near the ballpark that have no residential units would be metered even for ward residents and limited to two hours to discourage ballpark fans. Other areas would be metered for longer periods but charge as much as private parking garages, perhaps as much as $35. The proposal calls for the city to buy new parking meters that would accept cash or credit cards.

"It's a new idea, so there hasn't been a chance to vet it," said Dave Garrison an advisory neighborhood commissioner in Ward 6. He praised Wells for pushing to address parking concerns but warned that "the devil is deeply embedded in the details."

It is unlikely most of the new meters would be in place for the Nationals' first game, on March 29. Until they are, some of the streets that will face new restrictions, including some in Buzzard Point, will simply be blocked off to fans.