Naperville to allow parking overnight during weekends

Naperville hopes to keep drunken drivers off the road by allowing overnight parking in the downtown.

City councilmen on Tuesday approved a six-month trial period for easing the overnight restrictions on weekends. Overnight parking will begin March 12 in designated areas.

"I hate to tell someone whose kid gets hit by a drunk driver we decided we didn't want to allow them to have that opportunity (to park)," Councilman Doug Krause said.

Currently parking is prohibited from 2 to 5 a.m. There is a fine of $15 if paid within 15 days, otherwise it increases to $30.

The new rules will allow overnight parking on Friday and Saturday nights on the interior levels in three downtown decks - the Central Parking Facility on Chicago Avenue, the garage on Van Buren Avenue and at the municipal center.

Councilman Robert Fieseler said he doesn't mind not collecting money from the occasional parking ticket.

"I can't imagine how much revenue is involved when somebody gets in a car to avoid a ticket and ends up hurting somebody," Fieseler said. "That cost is incalculable."

In addition to bar-hoppers, residents' overnight guests will also be able to make use of the new parking allowances.

Councilmen voted 6-3 in favor of allowing overnight parking. Fieseler, Krause, Kenn Miller, Judy Brodhead, Richard Furstenau and Mayor George Pradel voted in favor.

Grant Wehrli, Paul Hinterlong and Jim Boyajian voted against the six-month trial. Hinterlong said he is concerned about people not moving their cars the next day and taking up downtown parking spaces. Wehrli called the measure an example of big government and said people need to take responsibility for their actions.

"This is absolutely a solution in search of a problem," Wehrli said. "It is encouraging behavior I don't think we should be encouraging."