BARRINGTON, Ill. — Commuters who want that really prime parking space at the Metra station can now assure themselves of getting it every morning — but it’s going to cost them.
Barrington, on the Union Pacific Northwest line, recently announced it will begin offering a new annual Premium Commuter Parking Permit, offering a guaranteed, reserved spot near the station for $1,200 per year. A limited number of spaces are available and will be assigned via random lottery; those wishing to enter the lottery must apply by June 28, 2019, and include a $120 deposit. More details are available here.
The premium parking program, which begins Oct. 1, is one of several changes following the Village of Barrington’s purchase of a lot adding 67 spaces to its Metra station parking. It will also raise daily parking to $3.50, offer quarterly parking for $200, and begin selling parking permits online.
Barrington’s rates are, in general, higher than average. Some examples: Lisle, Ill.,on the BNSF line, offers its quarterly permits for $138 and daily parking for $3; New Lenox, on the Rock Island District, charges $1.25 daily for parking; Glenview, on the Milwaukee North, offers quarterly parking for $300 for residents ($400 for non-residents) and daily parking for $2; Bartlett, on the Milwaukee West, offers quarterly permits for $90 and daily parking for $1.50; and Flossmoor, on the Metra Electric, offers quarterly permits for $120 and daily parking for $3. Quarterly permits are sold out with wait lists in several of these communities, however.
Gouge Gouge Gouge
The cited price is neither outrageous nor is it out of line with comparable suburbs. The fact of the lottery means there’s more demand than there are spaces. Therefore the price is too low as opposed to too high.
Think of this not only as a parking fee but also as a congestion tax. To the extent that Metra encourages walkable downtowns in the the suburbs, that’s great. To the extent that Metra turns walkable downtowns into park-rides, Metra is a problem. In that way Metra takes the too many automobiles in downtown Chicago and parcels them out to too many automobiles in the downtowns of suburbs.
Rip – Off!!!!!
Nice to see yet another public entity catering to the people-that-matter.
But, remember to keep telling the children that we have a classless society. It helps keep them docile as they get older.
Barrington is pretty well to do. The commuters willing to pay $1200 would gladly pay $2400 to have the front spot.
Lots of ways to get to the station. I take a Pace bus from my street to Naperville station and my wife picks me up at night. The busplus pass is $30. Very convenient.
It’s all about the real estate. Agents will tell you the price of housing goes up the closer the house is to a train station with good service. This scheme costs $300 per year more than the regular parking rate.
$1200 a year? Nice gouge in the pocketbook!
You are so right Mr. Rice. Nothing beats being able to walk to the station or, even better, to work.
Here is an odd concept. Just live a few blocks from the station. When I lived in the area and rode Metra, I simply moved to within 5 blocks of the station where I could leave my car parked in the garage for free and walk calmly everyday with no hassles.
And since this is a UP line (former CNW) that runs left handed, just make sure it is on the north side (or east if on the UP North line), then you will never be blocked by an inbound train arrival.
Living across the street in high density will be too expensive. But just look a few blocks away and the prices drop dramatically.
This is also the same City of Barrington who put CN through the ringer when they bought the EJ&E years ago.
That’ll keep the riffraff out!
I think it is a great idea. The article says spaces are limited but doesn’t say how many there are. But this could be a great way to raise money for maintenance of the lots and station. $100 per month is a bargain compared to what it costs for a monthly spot in downtown Chicago. This is also good because it forces those who use those lots to pay for them. Many others in this town don’t commute by rail and shouldn’t have to pay for those that do.