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Berkeley pilot program proposes cuts to free parking near campus

Cars parked on College Avenue in Berkeley's Elmwood neighborhood, 2008. Elmwood is one of the two major areas that could be affected by the city's proposed pilot program.
Flannery626
/
Flickr
Cars parked on College Avenue in Berkeley's Elmwood neighborhood, 2008. Elmwood is one of the two major areas that could be affected by the city's proposed pilot program.

The City of Berkeley is considering a one-year pilot program that would introduce new paid parking spots to about 30 blocks in the city’s Elmwood and Southside neighborhoods. These areas previously offered free parking for up to two hours. The new rules would also extend parking time limits from two to eight hours.

City officials say the program will help workers, merchants, and the environment by eliminating the QUOTE “two-hour shuffle” ENDQUOTE in which drivers are forced to re-park many times a day to avoid time limit citations. This shuffle leads to congestion and high levels of greenhouse gas emissions. The proposed pilot is partially funded by a ‘Climate Initiatives’ grant from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and aims to increase information about public transportation and other driving alternatives.

Opponents of the proposal say that paid parking will unfairly burden retail workers and visitors to the area. Elmwood business owner David Salk (SAHLK) told Berkeleyside that using public transportation could mean a longer commute and dissuade people from working in these neighborhoods. Salk suggested the city instead increase the number of parking permits offered to businesses and employees. Residents and businesses with city-issued parking permits are exempt from the proposed paid spots.

All interested individuals may provide feedback via web survey to the proposed changes through January 14th. The program is expected to be up for City Council vote in the spring and, if approved, could begin implementation by next June.

I am a researcher and writer from Oakland, CA. I cut my teeth in radio at my college station and since graduating, I’ve worked as a paralegal, arts administrator, maritime historian, and most recently, a fellow at WorldAffairs, a global politics radio show and podcast co-produced with KQED. In my work, I am interested in the intersections of race, climate, and labor rights as well as place-based narratives of marginalization and the relationship between local history, public space, and identity formation, especially among queer and BIPOC communities. I am also passionate about drawing on the performing arts—particularly theater and music—to develop interview/storytelling practices grounded in mutual repair and community-building.