City to end unlimited street parking on weekends, holidays

Downtown Mainstreet business group lobbied for the change.

The days of unlimited parking on the street in downtown La Crosse on the weekends appear to be numbered.  

Monday, the city’s board of public works agreed to change the downtown to two-hour parking for weekends and holidays – a request lobbied from the Downtown Mainstreet business group.

The change should occur within a month, according to police.  

Executive director, Robin Moses said the change is needed as more people head downtown for entertainment and shopping.

“Because of of the business growth … especially the amount of activity that’s starting to happen on the weekends, it’s starting to create new complications,” Moses said. “By changing to two-hour parking, it keeps that turnover on the street. For those people who are coming downtown and want to stay longer, the ramps are free on the weekends. They can park in the ramp all weekend long.”

Currently, Moses said, much of the weekend street parking is taken up by workers, residents and others in town for conventions or other events.

“The higher amount of difficulty for our customers and people going to restaurants and retail shops to be able to actually find parking near where they want to go,” she said.