The city of Orlando will extend a free downtown parking program, if approved by Orlando’s Downtown Development Board Wednesday.
The program, first launched in May, provides residents and visitors up to two hours of free parking downtown at any of the 1,200 on-street metered or non-metered spots through the use of the ParkMobile app, with the code “ParkDTO.” The code will be good for eight uses per account, up from four uses allowed when the program first launched, a city spokesperson confirmed. Free valet parking at eligible restaurants and bars downtown that apply to participate is also available through the program.
The parking program, currently scheduled to end on Dec. 31, was initially launched with $100,000 in funding. Now, city staff is asking the city board to approve an additional $100,000 in funding to extend the program for another full year, and to clarify the procedures for valet reimbursement (there are no proposed changes to this component of the program at this time).
Parking issues for customers (and/or prospective customers) has been a concern voiced by business owners in the area. The purpose of the program is to support downtown businesses by improving parking accessibility and thus attracting more visitation (and consumer spending) to the area — along with more cars, we gather.
The city’s new self-driving SWAN shuttle, a $500,000 city investment, can’t shuffle everyone around, nor can (or do) the metro area’s public Lynx buses — one of which the SWAN shuttle collided with back in August, with zero passenger injuries reported.
The Orlando Business Journal reported that, so far, the ParkDTO free parking code has been used at least 6,500 times. The free valet service available under the program has been used 2,500 times.
The parking code, through the ParkMobile phone application, is available to use 24/7. The valet parking component is permitted Wednesday through Sunday between the hours of 5:30 and 9 p.m.
Restaurants and drinking establishments that currently offer that valet validation include: Ember, AC Skybar, Thrive Cocktail Lounge & Eatery, Kres Chophouse and Artisan’s Table. Any restaurant in the downtown development board area with a valid city tax receipt is eligible to apply to join the program.
This post has been updated to clarify that the free parking code will be available to use eight times per account, up from four, according to a city of Orlando spokesperson, and no changes are currently being proposed for the valet services component.
Related
Downtown restaurants partner with City of Orlando for free parking and valet
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This article appears in Nov 29 – Dec 5, 2023.
