80,000+ parking tickets issued in Raleigh last year
RALEIGH, North Carolina (WTVD) -- More than 80,000 tickets were given in the City of Raleigh in 2016. At a cost of around $20 a ticket, they are not a welcomed surprise when you return to your car.
"I went to go get something to eat," said ticketed parker Claudine Burns. "It's 15-minute parking which is ridiculous. So my plan was to come back out and feed the meter but it didn't happen. It's so hard to park down here, you know downtown parking is really difficult."
Charlie Keeling works downtown and he echoes those frustrations.
"I spend probably more money on parking and then tickets than I make during the day. So it's kind of rough," Keeling lamented.
Of the 80,441 citations, downtown Raleigh is where the majority of citations were given. Street parking makes up most of the parking available to people in the downtown Raleigh area, with the exception of a few parking decks. At $1 per hour, most meters have a 2-hour time limit. Exceed the limit or don't put in enough money and chances are you'll end up with a ticket.
TOP REASON FOR TICKETS
Expired Meters: 31,352
No Parking: 16,906
Exceeding Time Zone: 6,883
WHERE MOST TICKETS ARE GIVEN
Fayetteville Street tops our list for the most parking citations in 2016. Fayetteville Street is home to dozens of restaurants and bars. From the Big Easy and Jimmy V's to Chick fil A and Starbucks, Fayetteville Street is a hot spot at any time of the day. The majority of tickets given on Fayetteville Street were from the NC State Capitol down to the Marriott City Center.
Commerce Place is another popular area for parking citations. In 2016, more than 3,000 citations came from people parking in the "no parking zones." The street has 30-minute parking from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, but after 10 p.m., these spots turn into "No Parking Zones." In 2016, more than 3000 citations came from people parking in the "No Parking Zones."
The top streets for tickets in 2016:
1. Fayetteville Street - 9,506
2. East and West Hargett Street - 5,492
3. East and West Martin Street -5,413
4. Commerce Place - 4,502
5. Davie Street-4,366
TIPS:
- If you are hitting any of these popular areas, double check and make sure that no part of your car is in a no parking zone! According to the ParkLink website, "City ordinance stipulates that no portion of a vehicle shall extend into a No Parking Zone or a citation may be issued."
- These days, almost every meter in downtown Raleigh accepts credit and debit cards as well as any coin aside from pennies.
- If you think you might stay longer than anticipated, your best bet might be parking in a deck with a 24-hour time limit. This way, there is no risk of you exceeding your 2-hour time limit.
- If you come across a meter that appears broken and will not take your payment, take video to prove your case if you get a ticket.
