Many Opt To Pay Parking Fines Rather Than Parking Fees

In downtown Chicago, the parking lots add an extra $2 "congestion" tax for parking the whole day. Instead, many park illegally at Metra Station receiving parking tickets just to avoid the congestion pricing.

1 minute read

November 4, 2011, 7:00 AM PDT

By David Zeetser


According to Mick Swasko and Ted Gregory, parking illegally and receiving a $15 ticket is cheaper than driving to downtown Chicago and parking for the day, due to the extra $2 "congestion" tax for parking in public garages or lots.

"Officials have proposed doubling the price of parking tickets to $30, from $15, to change the economic equation of those willing to pay a ticket for a place to park," said Swasko and Gregory.

Many residents are willing to pay others to rent out monthly parking spots just to avoid congestion pricing, "like one ad found on Craigslist now seeking $75 a month with six months' payment up front for a spot near Metra's Route 59 station in Naperville," said Swasko and Gregory.

Thursday, November 3, 2011 in Chicago Tribune

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