BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Paying to park on Birmingham's Southside near UAB is becoming as expensive as the gas it took to get there, some shocked commuters say.

But relief could be on the way.

When city leaders last summer doubled its parking meter fees, they also drove up the price for hour-long parking to as much as $2 an hour in one of the city's busiest districts.

"The University of Alabama at Birmingham's parking situation is already bad enough without the City of Birmingham adding insult to injury," Leigha Weaver wrote on the petition page she created. "...I am now faced with the option of paying about $10 a day to park or either getting a $15 parking ticket. And that's on top of already having bought a university parking pass for about $150, which I can't use on the street."

Weaver's petition has 216 supporters, several of whom wrote about similar parking and fee complaints on Southside.

"The rate increase was proposed and passed by the council in July. We followed what was passed and changed the rates according to what we were given as new rates," explained Birmingham Traffic Engineer Greg Dawkins. "Ten-hour meters went to $1 per hour and 2 hour and 3 hour rates went to $2 per hour."

Nevertheless, Councilwoman Kim Rafferty, chairwoman of the Transportation Committee, said the dramatic increase was done in error. While the council voted to double most fees, she said the group never anticipated that rates would go as high as $2 an hour.

"We are aware of the complaints. The excessive increase was not our intention," she said.

Rafferty said she will propose an amended ordinance next week that would reduce the rate increases for longer meters, such as the ones on Southside.

Still, Rafferty said another problem near UAB is the lack of adequate campus parking. That issue must be addressed by the university, she said.

"UAB needs to be brought to the table to address their issue with student parking. We understand the trials and tribulations of finding parking on campus," Rafferty said. "The university is going to have to work on the issue of lost parking for students."

And while she expects the city's meter rates will be lowered, Rafferty said commuters still must understand that street side parking is designed as short term. Metered spaces are no substitute for decks and longer term options, Rafferty said.