Mayor Walsh proposes a hike in parking fines

Courtesy of Creative Commons

By Cho Yin Rachel Lo 4/5/2018

BOSTON — Mayor Marty Walsh proposed an increase in parking fines to help fund a $5 million investment in city transportation projects.

Boston is going to face a proposed increase in parking fines that range from $15 to $50 for the first time in 10 years. The changes would include the following:

·       The fine for no parking in a zone will go from $55 to $90.

·       Instead of a $25 fine, there will now be a $40 fine for an unpaid meter.

·       Double parking in Zone A would, instead of a $45 fine, be now a $75 fine.

·       Parking during overnight street cleaning hours will go from a $40 fine to a $90 fine.

“Increasing various parking fines that have not been adjusted since 2008 and allocating those funds to improve the city’s ability to better manage its transportation services is a smart public policy that will lead to more reliable commutes,” said Sam Tyler, president of the Boston Municipal Research Bureau, in a Metro US report.

City officials said that raising fines would help decrease congestion, increase cleanliness and improve the parking experience as a whole.