The Mall's Golden Opportunity

I second The Post's suggestion that the new administration fix up the Mall ["A Downtrodden Mall; America's front yard desperately needs sprucing up," editorial, Jan. 22], and I have an idea about how to pay part of the cost. The Park Service should start charging for parking on the Mall's streets.

The charges should be identical to those on adjacent streets but should be in force every day that the museums are open. It's often difficult for museum-goers to get free spaces because locals with business in nearby buildings grab the spots when they become legal at 10 a.m. Enforcement of the two-hour limit is lax, so tourists, who don't know the drill, are unlikely to find open parking spaces when they arrive later.

I estimate that charging for these spaces would raise more than $4 million per year that could help maintain the Mall. Ticketing those who overstay the two-hour limit would raise more money and help reserve the spaces for museum visitors. If two hours isn't enough time to visit a museum, extend the limit to three or four hours but be sure to enforce it. Given the state of the Mall and the federal deficit, user fees such as these should come as soon as possible.

PETER GREANEY

Columbia