A new paid parking system is being implemented by Hot Springs

Hot Springs, Arkansas – As more parking meters are installed, parking spots in downtown Hot Springs are becoming more expensive.

Residents accustomed to parking that has been practically free for a long time may be surprised by the new arrangement.

The next time you drive down Central Avenue in the city, you’ll see the new parking kiosks.
Beginning the first week of January, individuals will use these to pay for parking using a card or the Park Smarter app. According to city officials and local business owners, utilizing the new system would require some getting used to.

Kimberly Pitts, Get Sunmed Manager, stated, “It’s going to be really difficult.”

Pitts expressed her disapproval of the changes to paid parking and her concern that they would cause more harm than benefit.

“We’re frustrated because of the financial impact on our employees,” Pitts stated.

Pitts stated that it might not be possible to pay for such parking expenses.

“We’re a small business paying premium rent in downtown, and now we’re facing having to try to protect our employees [and] financially cover their parking, maybe,” she said.

The most costly parking will cost $2 per hour and be available for four hours.

Additionally, there are parking lots that charge $1 per hour without a time limit and $2 per hour without one.

Parking fees vary per zone, according to Deputy City Manager Lance Spicer.

“That downtown business core is where we spread out those three different parking zones,” he stated.

More than 2,000 parking spaces are still available; you’ll just need to travel a little further to avoid the downtown areas that are in great demand.

Almost 1,000 existing parking spaces will be impacted by the new charged system.
The new kiosks are fairly easy to use, according to Spicer.

“After entering your license plate and clicking “Okay,” you can enter the desired amount of time. “Then, either enter your payment or tap to proceed,” he stated.

According to Spicer, the city is implementing paid parking in order to reinvest the proceeds back into the downtown area.

“The main focus for [the paid] parking is to really use the resource we have as best we can, but also to look to build an additional parking garage,” Spicer stated. “I think after the first year, year two certainly, [we’re] going to be looking at locations and sites to have that capacity.”

Additionally, employees receive a 75% parking charge discount.

Spicer recommends calling the city at 501-321-6808 if you have any questions regarding the new system.