Free street parking in downtown Joliet ready for a vote

A proposal for free street parking in sections of downtown Joliet will go to the City Council for approval on Tuesday, the city announced.

The plan, if approved, will go into effect on Sept. 1, according to a news release from the city.

The city has been considering a free-parking plan for streets now regulated by parking meters for nearly a year.

The proposal that goes to the council would:

• Allow two hours of free parking in three zones from Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. in an area running through the heart of downtown between Washington and Crowley streets.

• Maintain parking restrictions in certain areas for street cleaning between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m.

• Install signage to notify residents of parking restrictions that will remain in place

The city issued a news release on the free-parking plan, noting that it will first go to the City Council Public Service Committee when it meets at 4:30 p.m. on Monday.

“The proposal aims to make downtown parking more accessible for patrons, reduce congestion, and create a turnover of available spaces for businesses, visitors, and residents,” Public Works Director Greg Ruddy said in the news release. “This is part of a broader effort to attract more visitors downtown.”

The city will use a vehicle equipped with License Plate Reader cameras to monitor how long vehicles are parked.

Officers will issue fines of $30 to vehicles found in violation of the ordinance limiting parking to two hours.

The city would continue to charge for parking in the Ottawa Street parking deck.