Downtown parking violation enforcement resumes Sept. 12

ALBANY — Patrols and ticketing of downtown Albany parking violations will resume in two weeks, according to the Albany Police Department.

“Downtown parking enforcement is going to start back up on Sept. 12,” APD spokeswoman Phyllis Banks said. “We are getting the information out and letting people know that it is coming, enforcement is picking back up.”

Downtown Albany has a variety of parking options. Some parking spaces are time-restricted, some are handicap only and some, like the parking decks in the center block and the parking lot behind the courthouse, have no time restriction. Drivers who park are cautioned to be aware of the restrictions downtown.

“Be mindful of the signs that you park in front of,” said APD Lt. William Dowdell. “There are some that are one hour, and there are also some that are two hours. So make sure that when you do park, you are able to handle your business and then get back out within that timeframe. If you know that you will not be able to get back out, please use the two parking decks that are located in central downtown.”

According to APD officials, parking violation fines vary.

“The fines vary, anywhere from $15 to as high as $35,” said Dowdell. “Of course, if you do the handicap violation or the fire lanes, those fines can actually increase higher than that.”

Parking enforcement will be in effect from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m.

“We’re going back to exactly what we’ve been doing for many years,” said Ward III Commissioner B.J. Fletcher during a recent commission meeting. “We tried to say no tickets so we could be more business friendly, but unfortunately we had a lot of employees that work in the downtown area take advantage of it. So they’re fixing to get a two-week notice that it’s over with.”