New changes to parking enforcement in Eureka Old Town

The City of Eureka now has a full time parking attendant from the hours of 9am to 6pm to enforce two hour parking zones. 

“It is good to have the enforcement because it keeps the vehicles moving, which is good for the brick and mortar businesses down here, because if you have something that sits and parks in front of your store all day, like an office worker perhaps, you’re losing that extra traffic”, says Amanda Kruschke of the Eureka Economic Development Department. 

Changes started last fall, when the city’s code enforcement division agreed to take the responsibility from the police as it more aligns with their current operations.  

“It is being enforced now, which it hasn’t been enforced for a little while, and we’re just getting back into enforcement. But as far as changes, there’s newly painted red curbs. And mostly those are because of new state laws that require a longer distance between the parked car and the intersection. So that’s just that’s the biggest new impact it would be. And it wasn’t really much different from what it was”, she said. 

Some of the future changes will include updated parking lot meters as well as payment kiosks to make things easier. City officials say things are now less restrictive than they used to be. 

“We don’t get a whole lot of, you know, issues with parking during the markets. There’s some pretty big available lots that are like within a block away from the market. And, you know, most people do a quick lap around the block, either second lap, they find a spot”, says Nick Bown-Crawford, producer of the Eureka Friday Night Market. 

In the meantime, employers at old town businesses can also apply to get free parking permits for their employees through a downtown parking permit pilot program. 

You can learn more about the permits here at https://www.eurekaca.gov/939/Downtown-Employee-Parking-Permit

Story by Tucker Caraway