Parking in Boston can often be, for lack of a better word, a bitch. The various narrow oneway streets can be hard enough to navigate but couple that with the added chore of finding a place to rest your vehicle while you enjoy all of the cultural amenities Boston has to offer, and all I can say is woof. But fret not, Boston, for Mayor Tom Menino understands the plight of the everyman and is prepared to offer you some generous parking incentives this holiday season.
To help Bostonians and tourists take advantage of all the city has to offer, especially the likes of Newbury Street where boutiques offering chic holiday gifts can be found tucked away in seemingly every other brownstone, Mayor Menino will be initiating a three-point parking plan to the mutual benefit of you and The Hub. The plan entails “free parking at the City’s 9,000 metered spaces, the opportunity to participate in the popular “Toys for Tickets” program and the chance to purchase a Boston Meter Card at 20% off the face value of the card.”
“The City of Boston is fortunate to have an abundance of wonderful shops and restaurants and the holiday season is a terrific time of year to stroll around, enjoy the festive sights and sounds, and visit them all,” said Boston Mayor Menino in a statement. “These parking incentives are a way to accommodate those who want to take advantage of all that Boston has to offer and prefer to have their car nearby.”
Starting this weekend, Friday, November 29 and Saturday, November 30, and taking place every Saturday in December, parking will be free at meters throughout the entire municipality. Some meters will offer two hours of free parking, and some four, depending on what the respective sign indicates for that meter. The time limit will be strictly enforced though so be sure to be in and out, in the designated time given.
If it happens to be a Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday and you find one of those neon orange parking tickets jammed in your windshield wipers, you have another option to coughing up anywhere between $25 and $100. Violators in the spirit of giving can opt to use the fine they’re slapped with to purchase an unwrapped, non-violent toy in replacement. Simply submit the toy with the receipt to any of the locations listed on the press release and you’ll be ticket free. Keep in mind, there are some exemptions to the parking rule. Check it all out here.
And finally, to help promote parking throughout the city, Mayor Menino and the Transportation Department will sell Boston Meter Cards – in denominations of $5, $25, $50, $75 and $100 – to be purchased at a 20 percent discounted rate from Friday, November 29 throughout December 31. Simply head down to the Parking Clerk at City Hall, over to the BDT tow lot, or to the City Hall to Go truck, should it happen to be in your neck of the woods to buy a discounted card, or if you’re short on time, buy them online here.
Happy parking, Boston!
