Ever since the meter rates increased, we have made a habit of using the Montclair Village garage, sandwiched between Medau Place and La Salle Avenue. After all, the City of Oakland charged only $1.25/hour there!
This week, the City inevitably got around to raising the rate which now matches the $2.00/hour meters. I still believe the garage is very handy because you don’t have to futz with time limits. Plus that cashier with the cool, long fingernails is very nice. Is that enough?
Well, there’s one last parking deal in our village. Our garage offers a monthly rate, though I don’t know how many people take advantage of this flexible deal. If you spend at least 45 hours parked in Montclair, then it makes sense to plunk down $90/month.
We like the idea of paying for nearly unlimited hours, but don’t spend sufficient time to achieve break-even. However for “parking flakes” who forget the time and get nailed with fines, this $90 monthly fee might be a better kind of ticket.
Today in Montclair, 94611 
I have to admit that the few times I’m in the Village and not on my bike or not going to the grocery (since both Lucky’s and Safeway have their own lots), I usually forget about the lot. Even though I cycle and walk past it frequently, since it’s near the tunnel and railroad grade trail.
And bonus for the sign — it appears to be actual neon (which glows reddish orange), and not one of the other noble gasses which are used for different colors.
If only I could now use my credit card for a SHORT stay at the meter. The minimum purchase is 1 hour. In Berkeley the minimum purchase is 12 minutes. So, if I need just a short stay in Montclair, I have to have quarters. I thought that was the reason they got rid of the parking meters in the first place!
Actually enlightened parking policy, as instituted in many European cities, is to keep garage parking cheaper than on-street parking. This has many benefits environmental and quality-of-life because it reduces “search traffic” which is the driving people do when they are looking for an on-street parking space near their shopping destination. Much of the traffic constantly circling around Montclair is search traffic.
Search traffic is reduced by having clearly-visible signs directing drivers to the garage so no one will “forget” that the garage is there. With signage, drivers go directly, taking the shortest route, to the garage. They choose the garage because it is cheaper than parking on the street and they don’t waste time driving around searching for a place to park on the street.
This policy reduces local traffic, noise and air pollution. It also produces more open on-street parking for those who really need to park near a shop for purpose of loading packages, etc.
Unfortunately, it’s a rational policy of proven effectiveness and thus very unlikely ever to be instituted here.