Heather Curtis

WASHINTON (WMAL) – Parking meter prices could be going up during peak times in downtown Bethesda. Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich’s proposed budget includes demand pricing for metered street parking.

It now costs $2.25 an hour to park at a metered spot on the street in downtown Bethesda, but that price could jump as high as $4 dollars during peak times. County Executive Marc Elrich’s proposed budget includes demand pricing as a way to encourage people to park in garages instead of on the street to ensure there’s sufficient street parking for area businesses according to Maureen McNulty, a spokesperson for the county’s department of transportation. She added $4 would be the cap, and the price would only be as high as needed to achieve the target 10% space availability.

While prices could go up during peak periods, McNulty said they could also be reduced during non-peak periods when the demand for street parking isn’t as great.

The president of the Greater Bethesda Chevy-Chase Chamber of Commerce, Ginanne Italiano, met with the county’s transportation director, Al Roshdieh, last week to discuss concerns she has about the proposal. She said some were alleviated, but others remain.

“We are concerned about where it’s gonna be and what timing it’s gonna be,” Italiano said.

At this point the county is researching demand in various areas and where to use demand pricing.

Another concern Italiano has is how they would let people know about new prices if the county moves forward with the proposal.

“Nothing worse than someone pulling up, finally getting a meter, you know, find a great parking space, sit down, and then they look and see, ‘Oh my God. It’s $4 an hour.’ And that’s not fair to our customers and to people coming to visit Bethesda,” Italiano said.

The county council’s transportation and environment committee is scheduled to discuss the proposed fee hikes at a meeting Thursday morning.

Elrich refused WMAL’s request for an interview on his proposal.

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