Tucson to cut into free time on parking meters

Tucson parking meters downtown and near the University of Arizona will be free for shorter periods of time, city officials say.

The reduced free parking hours begin this summer.

Starting June 2, the city will enforce paid parking rates from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday for meters downtown, the Main Gate area near campus and the Mercado districts, the city’s Department of Transportation and Mobility said Friday in a news release.

Meters in those areas are currently free after 5 p.m. weekdays and all day on weekends.

The new hours won’t apply to the North Fourth Avenue area — yet.

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That’s because of construction in the area related to the Downtown Links project, the city said.

When Downtown Links is completed — likely this fall — the city says it will consider whether to eliminate the metered parking situation near Fourth Avenue.

Tucson has more than 1,800 metered parking spaces, mostly downtown.

The extended paid meter hours were first proposed in October. At the time, they were even longer than what will go into effect in June.

The extended hours are intended to increase the availability of on-street parking, “as well as to promote the opportunity to reinvest additional revenue towards an improved parking experience for customers,” the department said in the release.