City moves towards two hour parking standard downtown

Some shorter parking limits to be eliminated.

All parking, all two hours. A change approved for downtown La Crosse by the city’s board of public works on Monday. All on-street parking would be limited to two hours.

The change would standardize parking in the downtown for, among other things, better enforcement by police, according to assistant police chief Rob Abraham, who told the board that the move would make downtown parking, “less confusing.”

All of the 30-minute, 60-minute and 90-minute parking zones will disappear under the change. Downtown loading zones will also face new restrictions, allowing for parking in those zones for 15 minutes only.

Abraham said the current zones are getting abused right now as some downtown are using the loading zones as their “private, all-day parking spot.”

City traffic engineer Matt Gallagher said the effort is just to “standardize signage and make it easier for the motoring public.”

The change will be enforced when current signs have been replaced.

Businesses could apply to the city for exemptions to the new rule.