Free holiday parking is coming to downtown State College — along with a few changes
In what’s become an annual tradition, State College Borough will again soon make holiday parking free downtown — but changes are coming.
From Nov. 28 to Jan. 2, all visitors to the municipal parking garages will automatically receive two free hours at a time. No validation is required this year. Those parking at municipal meters or lots will also receive up to three forgiven meter violations per vehicle thanks to a courtesy card program and, from Nov. 28 to Dec. 22, meters and lots will be free from 5-10 p.m. daily.
From Dec. 23 to Jan. 2, all municipal parking will be free.
The Holiday Parking Program is a joint effort between the borough and the Downtown State College Improvement District. Borough Council voted unanimously Monday night to formally approve the program, which has about a $74,000 financial impact on the budget.
The Nov. 28 start date is six days later than the previous year but, because Penn State’s final home football game is Nov. 26, borough staff grew concerned about the dynamic otherwise. “Parking is scarce to begin with, and free parking would make it totally unavailable,” borough manager Tom Fountaine said Monday, after a public suggestion it start earlier.
On-street meter parking currently costs $1.25 an hour and is enforced from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., with most Sundays free. Off-street parking at the garages is typically $1 an hour from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. and 75 cents an hour outside of that. (The first 30 minutes are free, and most Sundays are also free.)
