CSPS Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the Central Salem Parking Study?  
• What is the Pay-to-Park District?
• Why are you going to start charging to park on City streets in the Central Salem area?
• As a business owner in the Pay-to-Park District, how can I have input into the arrangement of parking on the street in front of my business?
• Is the City going to start charging for parking in the downtown business district?
• Will the City continue to sell on-street parking permits to carpools or individuals in the Pay-to-Park District?
• If I live in a proposed expansion of a Residential Permit Parking District, will I have to buy a permit to park in front of my house?
• Is the cost of my Residential Permit Parking Sticker going to go up?
• How are you going to stop commuters from doing the "2-hour shuffle"?
• Why should on-street parking in RP parking districts be reserved for residents? They don't own the street in front of their house.
• With all of these proposed changes, where will commuters be able to park?
• How can I provide input on adoption of the Study recommendations?
• Where can I get more information about the Central Salem Parking Study?

What is the Central Salem Parking Study?

The Central Salem Parking Study was initiated by City Council to make recommendations on how to best manage the on-street parking supply within the Central Salem area. The study area is generally defined by Market Street on the north, 17th Street on the east, Hoyt Street on the south, and the Willamette River on the west. While the study area includes the Downtown Free Customer Parking District, the focus is on areas outside of this Downtown Parking District. Return to top.

What is the Pay-to-Park District?

The Central Salem Parking Study recommends that the City implement a Pay-to-Park District in the area surrounding downtown, the Capitol Mall (state offices) and the Civic Center. On-street parking within this area will be metered or otherwise regulated. The Pay-to-Park District is based on the "No Free Parking Zone" approved by City Council in 2001. Return to top.

Why are you going to start charging to park on City streets in the Central Salem area?

The Pay-to-Park District will allow the City to efficiently manage limited parking resources using market principles in this area of high demand and bring a consistent approach to parking in this core area to address issues of inequity that arise when some people have to pay for parking and others do not. The Pay-to-Park District also will promote alternative modes of travel to the Central Salem area to reduce congestion and make efficient use of existing and future transportation investments. Return to top.

As a business owner in the Pay-to-Park District, how can I have input into the arrangement of parking on the street in front of my business?

Staff will work with neighboring businesses and residents to design an implementation plan for each block group that includes a mix of time limits. The decision to charge for parking will be based on the Pay-to-Park District policy (once adopted), but area businesses will have input into the mix of time limits and payment method and will be able to appeal the staff recommendation to the Citizens Advisory Traffic Commission (CATC). Return to top.

Is the City going to start charging for parking in the downtown business district?

The City is not planning to start charging for parking in the downtown business district at this time. Currently, on-street parking within the downtown core is actually paid for by the downtown businesses and provided as a courtesy to downtown shoppers. Return to top.

Will the City continue to sell on-street parking permits to carpools or individuals in the Pay-to-Park District?

Yes, the City plans to continue selling on-street parking permits to carpools and individuals in areas where there is no demand for parking turnover or where this demand can be met elsewhere. The Parking Study does recommend that individual drivers no longer be sold permits to park in zones designated for carpools. Instead, carpools would have the choice of preferential parking zones and separate zones would be established for individual driver permit parking. Return to top.

If I live in a proposed expansion of a Residential Permit Parking District, will I have to buy a permit to park in front of my house?

No, restricted parking will only be implemented in the expanded impact areas if residents request it and follow the streamlined process laid out in the Parking Study. Return to top.

Is the cost of my Residential Permit Parking Sticker going to go up?

The cost for an RP sticker is not proposed to increase at this time. There is a proposed charge for annual visitor permits equal to the charge for an RP sticker. Residents will be offered the option of ordering up to three annual visitor permits. This new charge for each annual visitor permit will remove incentive to use the visitor permit in lieu of an RP sticker and will help the City better determine the number of vehicles within the RP districts. The additional revenue will help offset the subsidy that the RP Parking Program currently receives. Return to top.

How are you going to stop commuters from doing the "2-hour shuffle"?

The "2-hour shuffle" refers to the practice of moving your car to a different block face every two hours within an RP parking district as currently allowed in order to park in the neighborhood for free. This Study proposes to limit visitor parking without a permit to 90 minutes (in most areas) once per day in any RP parking district. Commuters will have to move their car out of all RP parking districts after 90 minutes unless they have a permit. Return to top.

Why should on-street parking in RP parking districts be reserved for residents?

It is true that residents do not own the street in front of their houses. However, the RP Parking Program provides broader benefits to all Salem residents by reducing unnecessary personal motor vehicle travel, noise and pollution, and by promoting improvements in air quality, convenience and attractiveness of urban residential living, and increased use of public mass transit. The Central Salem Parking Study recognizes that there is a need to balance the demands for on-street residential parking with the parking needs of nonresident commuters and students. The study recommends instituting a pilot program to allow limited and controlled commuter/student parking within RP parking districts. This program will allow commuters and students to purchase a limited number of on-street parking permits at market rate to park on-street. The revenue from this program will help offset the subsidy that the RP Parking Program currently receives. Return to top.

With all of these proposed changes, where will commuters be able to park?

The proposed change in parking management will likely displace some commuters who currently park in areas of free parking within the proposed Pay-to-Park District and commuters who currently practice the "2-hour shuffle" in RP parking districts. These commuters have the option of using alternative modes of transportation, including park & ride lots, purchasing a parking permit for use in a public or private off-street parking facility, purchasing an on-street parking permit, purchasing a commuter/student permit to park on-street in an RP parking district as part of the pilot commuter parking program, or parking at 10-hour meters placed throughout the area. Return to top.

How can I provide input on adoption of the Study recommendations?

You are invited to provide testimony on the Study recommendations through your neighborhood association and at public hearings before the Salem Planning Commission, Citizens Advisory Traffic Commission and City Council (tentatively scheduled for March/April). To request notice of the public hearings, please contact Julie Warncke at 503-588-6211 to be added to the interested parties mailing list. Return to top.

Where can I get more information about the Central Salem Parking Study?

For questions or to request a copy of the Parking Study, contact Julie Warncke, Senior Transportation Planner, at 503-588-6211 or by email at jwarncke@cityofsalem.net. A copy of the Central Salem Parking Study and related information is available on the City of Salem, Transportation Services Division web page. Return to top.

Return to Central Salem Parking Study main page.