City of Bend makes several changes to Downtown Parking District, creates 2 zones

(Update: Adding video)

No free parking in city lots; extending North-South Mirror Pond lots to 6 hours, paid all-day parking at Troy Field

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The city of Bend said Tuesday it is implementing several changes to improve the Downtown Parking District this summer and make parking easier to manage for people parking downtown.

The changes are strategies from the Downtown Parking Strategic Management Plan (DPSMP), which was first adopted by the City Council in 2017 and developed by the Downtown Parking Advisory Committee (DPAC).

Creating Two Distinct Parking Zones

The first is strategy being implemented this summer is creating two distinct parking zones in Downtown Bend to eliminate confusion, manage parking demands and simplify the parking The two zones will consist of “on-street parking” (Zone A) and “off-street Parking” (Zone B):

Zone A:

• All on-street parking (Parking on downtown streets)
• Maintains two hours of free parking on the street
• Eliminates 750-foot rule (Must move out of Zone A after 2 hours)
• Parkers must move to an off-street location after two hours

Zone B:

• All off-street parking (parking lots and parking garage)
• Parking time limits vary from four hours to all day, depending on location and signage at the lots

Creating More Long-term Parking Options

The second strategy adjusts parking lots with the creation of “Zone B” by giving those who park downtown more long-term parking options. This is in response to many downtown businesses asking for more long-term parking options for their customers and employees.

To support this strategy, the current two hours of free parking will be removed from all parking lots. Parking limits in the Mirror Pond South and North parking lots will be extended to six hours. The Troy Field Lot will become a paid parking lot with all-day parking available. Paid parking will be removed from NW Irving Street, and on-street parking will become two hours of free parking.

“We expect high parking demand this summer,” said Parking Services Division Manager Tobias Marx. “Removing free parking on lots will allow us to manage demand better while maintaining two hours of free on-street parking in the majority of the downtown parking spaces. By changing NW Irving Street back to free, two-hour parking, that keeps the same number of free parking spots available downtown.”

All of these changes go into effect beginning July 1. See the map of the Downtown Parking District for a visual representation of these changes.

Local drivers can use coupon code “Bendites” on all mobile pay platforms for two months after the new rules are implemented to help adjust to the changes.

For more information on parking in downtown Bend, visit www.bendoregon.gov/parking.