Changes to street parking and surface parking lot rates in the City of Evanston took effect on March 1 as part of the City’s 2019 adopted budget.
The cost of parking at a two-hour parking meter or pay station will increase from $1 to $1.50 per hour. Rates for long-term meters in commuter parking lots will increase from 25 cents to 50 cents per hour, and rates in 20-minute meters will increase from 25 cents to 50 cents. In addition, payment at parking meters and pay stations will be required on Sundays, from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.
To encourage drivers to use the convenient Park Evanston mobile app to pay for parking, the City is offering $5 of free parking for app users who load their mobile wallet with $20. The offer is valid once per customer through May 31. App users can load payments using a credit card or can do so in person at the City Collector’s Office in the Morton Civic Center, 2100 Ridge Ave.
In addition to paying for parking, drivers can also use the app to track their parking history, receive notifications and email receipts and appeal or pay citations.
Drivers using the Park Evanston mobile app pay a 35-cent transaction fee charged by the app vendor when paying for parking; however, the City will cover this cost for drivers who purchase the maximum amount of parking time allowed, typically two hours.
Drivers are reminded that parking for less than one hour remains free in the City’s three downtown parking garages. Parking for one to two hours remains $2. The fee structure for parking more than two hours in downtown garages has changed. Parking in downtown garages remains free on Sundays.
In addition to the parking rate changes, single-space parking meters in downtown Evanston and nearby business districts are being replaced with pay-by-license-plate pay stations. As pay stations are activated on each block, single-space parking meters are being removed. On blocks with pay stations, drivers can pay for parking by entering their license plate number and completing payment at a nearby station or using the Park Evanston mobile app. There is no need to display a payment receipt on a vehicle’s dashboard, as compliance is monitored electronically.