Mayor’s office vows to get tougher regarding downtown street parking

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PARKING WOES: A complaint by some Spanish Town residents is that parking on already crowded neighborhood streets is almost impossible when whole-house renters show up. Collin Richie)

The mayor’s office on Thursday announced that street parking enforcement downtown will increase starting at the end of April. 

“It’s time to step up enforcement for street parking to ensure people patronizing downtown businesses have convenient street parking available to them,” says Mark Armstrong, spokesperson for Mayor Sharon Weston Broome. “It’s critical to the downtown economy.”

Street parking in downtown is at a maximum of two hours from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Those parking downtown are charged a quarter every 15 minutes and can pay through kiosks, the Flowbird app, or by scanning QR codes and texting. 

Starting April 29, the Baton Rouge Police Department will issue fines starting at $10. Those parking for more than two hours are encouraged to use a parking lot. Parking under Interstate 10 on the perimeter of downtown is also allowed, Armstrong says.