What Will It Cost to Park in the New Downtown Ramp?
What can you get for 50 cents? A can of soda (if you’re really lucky)? A first-class postage stamp (with change)? Now, a couple of quarters will also get you an hour of parking in the brand spanking new parking ramp on North Barstow Street in downtown Eau Claire. The Eau Claire City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to approve fees for the soon-to-open 769-spot ramp, which stands along North Barstow near Phoenix Park. Users will be charged 50 cents an hour with a maximum 24-hour fee of $8. These fees will be collected 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. (In other words, there’s no off-hour free parking to be had.)
The council resolution also set special-event parking at $5 and the monthly parking contract at $42. Several council members advocated for letting users park free for the first three hours, but that idea was rejected on a 7-4 vote.
According to Leah Ness, a transportation engineer with the city, the ramp is on track to open Sept. 1. While the structure was complete enough for several City Council members to attend a walk-through Tuesday, workers are still completing pavement marking, installing signs, and doing electrical and landscaping work.
