A parking plan for Covington's popular MainStrasse neighborhood will go into effect March 30.

The plan, adopted by vote of the city commission last October, is a blend of off-street paid parking, on-street paid parking, and residential parking.

"The goal with this plan is to alleviate existing issues and modernize parking on streets and in City-owned lots," said City Engineer Mike Yeager, in a statement. "The parking plan was created after working with the community to understand concerns about things like residents having a difficult time finding available on-street parking and businesses being affected by to the unrestricted parking times in front of their buildings."

Three pay-by-plate parking kiosks are being installed in the large MainStrasse lot on West Fifth Street. Six additional kiosks will be installed at different locations on Main Street and West Sixth Street.

The kiosks are solar powered and are connected to a cloud system which allows real-time city information to be displayed on-screen. Rather than issue a parking receipt, users only need to enter their license plate number and won't have to return to their vehicle after paying.

The lot will now cost $1 per hour with a $2 maximum charge on Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. There will be special rates during events such as Reds and Bengals games.

On-street kiosks and traditional meters will cost $0.35 per half hour, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

"Signage is being installed to help communicate the changes and representatives from ABM, our parking manager, will be on hand after the system goes live to help assist users," Yeager said. "The City will also keep a close eye on the parking situation and make any necessary tweaks if problems arise."

On-street parking in parts of MainStrasse and the adjacent Mutter Gottes neighborhood will become resident-only parking. Only vehicles with residential or visitors passes will be allowed to park in these areas.

Residents living in the residential parking area, which includes parts of Bakewell, Philadelphia, and West Sixth Streets, who would like to receive residential parking permits will need to complete and submit applications prior to March 30.

Permits are available for $25 annually and include one visitor pass. Residential passes will also be available for City-owned lots for $25 monthly.

For a full list of changes, including a detailed map of residential parking areas, please visit the City's website at www.covingtonky.gov

-Staff report

Photo: Main Street in Covington (RCN file)