Photo: Google Streetview
The Portland Bureau of Transportation announced that all-day rates in the five city-owned SmartPark garages will go up, starting Monday, Nov. 18. The rates will rise by two dollars a day, ranging from $16/day in the 10th and Yamhill garage to $20/day at the 1st and Jefferson garage. The change will only apply to customers who enter a garage between 5 a.m. and 4:59 p.m. and stay for more than four hours. Rates for people parking up to four hours will stay the same as will evening rates which begin at 5 p.m.
SmartPark garages provide important support for downtown Portland's business, commercial and cultural activity. They are designed to provide short-term parking for shoppers, tourists, and business clients. To ensure that these downtown visitors can easily find parking, PBOT aims for an 85% occupancy rate in each garage. Recently, occupancy rates in the five garages have all been over the 85% threshold with occupancy in the 1st and Jefferson garage approaching 100%.
By raising the rates for long-term parking, but keeping them the same for short-term parking, PBOT hopes to increase the available spaces for people visiting, shopping and conducting business in downtown. Making more spaces available is particularly important in the coming weeks as the holiday shopping season kicks into high gear.
SmartPark short-term rates are among the lowest in the Central City and the SmartPark garages are conveniently located near popular culinary, commercial and cultural destinations.
PBOT encourages anyone who needs long term parking, particularly employees who work downtown, to look to private garages for their parking needs.
The new rates were developed with input from key Central City stakeholders, including the Portland Business Alliance and the Downtown Retail Council.
Here are the current and new rates in all five SmartPark garages.
SmartPark Garage Current Rate New Rate
1st & Jefferson $18/day $20/day
3rd & Alder $16/day $18/day
4th & Yamhill $16/day $18/day
10th & Yamhill $14/day $16/day
Naito & Davis $16/day $18/day
Source: Portland Bureau of Transportation