Let's face it, parking can be a real pain. Whether in a downtown area or a small town, finding the perfect, inexpensive place to plop your vehicle with confidence can be rather tricky. We drove to Green Bay for a pre-season Packers' game a few weeks ago and they charged us $30 to park. And that would almost be a good deal in downtown Chicago.
According to a June 2001 Colliers International survey of parking costs nationwide, parking rates in downtown areas are increasing at a rate well above the national rate of inflation. The survey found monthly parking rates to be as high as $590 in New York and up to $40 for hourly parking. Park this, we say!
Though the study found Milwaukee's rates to be below the national average, the numbers they came up with are still pretty hard to swallow. The study found reserved monthly rates average $157.50, $127.50 for unreserved monthly and $12.50 for daily parking (eight hours) in underground and covered parking garages in downtown.
These rates seem a bit high, so we sent our crack team of downtown parking experts out to get the real story on parking rates. Leaving the hourly metered spots (which can be rather pricey if you fail to plug them) out of this story, we don't believe the high-priced hype -- it can easy and rather inexpensive to park in downtown Milwaukee. Here's how.
It costs only $65 per month to park in the Third Ward parking structure, at the corner of Water and Chicago (a pretty vital intersection on the Trolley route), and there are plenty of unreserved daily spots left in that structure.
The following are some other cheap, even free, parking alternatives you might want to try.
There are some great monthly rates to be found, especially if you're flexible.
For instance, the CPS lot at Juneau and Broadway (called the Church Lot) sells monthly passes for only $41 and the Cocoa Lot at N. 6th St. and Highland Ave. costs $55 (call 223-4722 for availability and other rate quotes). Monthly parking at the Italian Community Center goes for only $25 (call 414-223-2197) and lots on Marshall and Cass Sts. and 801 W. Wisconsin Ave. run for $60 (call 414-273-7241).
Keep in mind that with the Milwaukee County Transit Trolleys running every 10-15 minutes, it's a snap to park and ride near the Water St. or Wisconsin Ave. corridors. For only 50¢ each way, you'll still save more than $20 a month parking further south or west along these routes.
Want to stay close to your downtown destination? Ten-hour meters are great if you can get one; 25¢ buys you 75 minutes. For pocket change, you can park a full day at any one of these locations:
- Both sides of E. Kilbourn Ave. between Cass and Jackson Sts.
- Broadway between Juneau and Knapp
- N. Market St. between Juneau and Knapp
- Knapp St. between Water and Broadway
- Water St. just north of Knapp
- The parking area west of Water St. between Cherry and Edison Sts.
- Jackson, Van Buren, St. Paul, Jefferson and E. Chicago Sts. in the Third Ward
- 4th St. between St. Paul and Clybourn
- 5th St. between St. Paul and Clybourn
- North 6th St. between Clybourn and Michigan Sts.
- Clybourn St. from 2nd to 5th Streets (on the south side of the street).
You may have to walk a few extra blocks, but the savings are worth it. Arrive before 8:30 a.m. for your best chance at a prime spot.
Five-hour meters are great for the same reason, especially if you leave your space for lunch. Five-hour meters can be found on St. Paul Ave. from 2nd to 5th Streets, 5th St. just north of the Amtrak Station, Clybourn St. from 2nd to 5th and Milwaukee St. from State to Juneau.
Free, of course, is always better and there are a few non-metered parking spots in the downtown area -- especially great for errand-running, meetings or other shorter-term parking needs. Areas with no meters include Old World Third St. north of Juneau (and most of the streets in the near-downtown Schlitz Park area), Jackson St. from State St. northward, many of the streets just south of the Third Ward across the river and along Prospect Ave. north of Wells.
For those of you who need a sure thing, daily parking rates under $5 can be found all over downtown, especially under the Park East Freeway and the Marquette Interchange. In fact, great rates can be found at most of the surface lots south of Wisconsin, west of the Milwaukee River.
For only $1.50 you can park all day at the newly-paved lot behind the Italian Community Center, 631 E. Chicago St., in the Third Ward, $2 at the lot on Juneau just west of Water Street, $2.75 at 6th and Juneau and $3 at 4th and Juneau. Keep in mind these rates increase for special events, but for everyday parking, they're a great deal. Good parking to ya!
