Aurora preparing to boost commuter parking fees

Aurora's rail commuters, while saving money at the gas pump, likely will pay nearly double their current rate to park at the city's two commuter lots.

Aldermen will decide Tuesday whether to raise monthly permit fees from $22 to $40 at the Route 59 commuter lot and from $21 to $30 at the Aurora Transportation Center on Broadway Avenue.

Daily rates would remain $2 under the proposed ordinance amendments.

Phil Silagi, superintendent of motor vehicle parking systems and buildings, said Thursday that the increases would be the first since the lots opened in 1989.

"Since then, we've expanded our facilities and employees," he said. "As the lots get older, they require more maintenance so we've got plenty of projects that will deplete the funds. I definitely believe we'd be justified to increase these fees."

The Route 59 lot now has 735 monthly permit spots and 600 daily spots. The city issues 1,000 monthly permits, however.

"Historically, most of the people with permits don't commute every day," he said. "On any given day we have anywhere from 50 to 100 spaces that may or may not be occupied."

City officials said they hope that by bringing the monthly rates in line with the daily rates, the monthly permit demand will lessen.

Daily parkers caught sneaking into a permit space also will feel the increase as their fines jump from $20 to $50 per violation.

Silagi will retire next week, before the July 1 implementation date if aldermen approve the increases. But he said he's been warning commuters that "these increases would come one day soon."

"The permit fee is half the price of what you would pay if you paid the daily rate every day," Silagi said. "Thankfully, many of our commuters realize the disparity and that the monthly rates should be at a premium because that guarantees you a space."

Another factor, he said, is the Aug. 1 deadline when Naperville will increase its quarterly fees for the 1,164 permit spaces on its side of the Route 59 lot from $60 per quarter for residents to $90 per quarter. Those rates will jump again, on Nov. 1, to $120 per quarter, or $40 a month.

"They're seeing the same future improvements that we are so this is just the right time to do it," he said.

Aldermen are expected to finalize the plan at 6 p.m. Tuesday.