Village of Barrington adds 67 new commuter parking spots
Due to increased demand for commuter parking, in spring 2019 the Village of Barrington purchased a parking lot from the First Church of Christ Scientist, which is adjacent to Barrington's North Commuter Parking Lot.
This new lot will add 67 additional commuter parking spots in the North Commuter Lot. The lot will be under construction through the summer and will be available to commuters on Oct. 1.
The addition of this new lot has allowed the village to review its current parking options and offerings in total.
Below are the new offerings and fee structure, which will go into effect Oct. 1:
Annual Premium Commuter Parking Permit:
The Village of Barrington will now offer its commuters a new annual Premium Commuter Parking Permit, which allows commuters to purchase a guaranteed, reserved single spot near the train depot in either the North or South Commuter Lots for the entire year.
A limited number of spots in five zones are available. Premium parking purchasers will have access to their reserved spot until 9:30 a.m. each day during regular commuter hours, after which time their spot will be released for the day and open to the public.
This will also help address increased demand for late-hour parking. The Premium Commuter Parking Permit annual fee is $1,200.
Premium Commuter Parking Permits will be assigned via random lottery, with Village of Barrington residents receiving first priority in the lottery; BACOG residents receiving second priority; and all others receiving third priority.
All Premium Commuter Parking Permit applications must be submitted with a 10 percent deposit ($120) no later than June 28. Reserved spots will be available Oct. 1 and the balance of the payment will be charged in August. Applications may be found on the Village of Barrington website at www.barrington-il.gov/parking.
Daily Spots Available in Both North and South Commuter Lots:
Daily parkers will now have the option to park in both the North and South Commuter lots on a first-come, first-served basis at a cost of $3.50 per day. This represents a 50-cent increase from the previous parking fees. This increase will be used to pay for the purchase of the additional 67 spaces in the new parking lot, as well as ongoing maintenance of the parking lot.
It will also be used to fund the addition of an improved entrance to the North Commuter lot (with traffic signal) near the current Barrington Animal Hospital, which will provide additional ingress/egress to the commuter lot each day.
In addition, the train station will be receiving an additional enhancement in 2019-2020 of heat lamps on the platforms.
Prepaid Parking Quarterly Program - Available in Both North and South Commuter Lots:
Beginning Oct. 1, the South Commuter lot will no longer be a BACOG-only lot. Anyone may park in either the North or South Commuter lots on a daily fee basis, or they may pay quarterly on prepaid basis for a discounted fee of $200 per quarter. Paying by quarter does not reserve a specific spot for a parker, but rather grants access to either the North or South Commuter lot on a first-come, first-served basis. Prepaying on a quarterly basis provides not only a discount to parkers, but also the added convenience of not having to pay each day at the fare boxes.
Online Parking Permit Purchases:
Beginning Oct. 1, parkers will have the ability to purchase permits online rather than in person.
For information on the new Barrington parking program, contact Patty Dowd Schmitz at pdschmitz@barrington-il.gov or (847) 304-3443.