(April 25, 2023) Four blocks of SW Park Avenue between SW Main and SW Clay streets will undergo weekly parking enforcement for street sweeping as part of the Portland Bureau of Transportation’s (PBOT) new sweeping and parking pilot project in downtown Portland starting April 26 between the hours of 10 p.m. Wednesday night and 5 a.m. Thursday morning. The pilot will last for 12 weeks, with ongoing data collection and evaluation, to determine its effectiveness.
The pilot project will use the small segment of one downtown street to test the effectiveness of street sweeping using parking education and enforcement. Across Portland, vehicles parked on the street overnight make it difficult for PBOT crews to adequately clean roadways from curb-to-curb for a “clean sweep.” Many cities around the country have regulations that prohibit parking during posted times and days to facilitate effective street sweeping.
The bureau installed new signs within the project area as part of the pilot project. PBOT’s parking enforcement officers will follow an enforcement strategy focused on education, with a warning and educational brochure given on first offense. A second offense will receive a parking citation and vehicle that has received a third offense will be towed to allow for sweeping vehicles to clean the street.
For more information about parking in Portland, visit www.portland.gov/parking.
Parking on the street? Avoid getting a ticket with these simple tips!
Parking Kitty is a great way to easily pay for parking in metered parking zones. Just remember to input your license plate information correctly, including any stacked letters shown on vanity plates. Learn how to download and use Parking Kitty here.
Read all signage around the space you want to park at. If signs are followed correctly, you will avoid a ticket. For people going downtown, avoid the stress of street parking and grab one of the more than 20,000 available spots in PBOT’s five SmartPark parking garages.
Check for what’s around your car. Once you’ve parked and checked out any signage, check to see if you’ve parked near fire hydrants, ADA ramps, driveways, bike lanes, or crosswalks. Blocking any of these could result in a ticket and could impact the safety of others.
Register your vehicle! Minor citations for things like expired vehicle registration tags can add up. These fines can range from $70 to $145. Make sure to visit the DMV to update your registration if it’s expired.
Pay the meter no matter how long you will be using the spot for. Only park for the maximum time listed on the signage. If you’re parked in a two-hour parking spot, you cannot continue paying the meter after your two hours are up. Additionally, if you have time remaining and leave your parking spot to park in another spot, you need to pay via Parking Kitty for your new parking spot.
Interested in learning more about the ins and outs of parking management in Portland? PBOT’s Performance Based Parking Management Manual is a great place to start.