Local
Portland weighs event-parking jump to $8 an hour near Moda Center
A City Council vote could raise event parking prices in Eliot and change how about 11% of Central Eastside street spaces are used. The proposals are aimed at managing demand as businesses grow and keeping event crowds from taking neighborhood parking.
Portland drivers could soon pay more to park near the Moda Center during major events, while some Central Eastside street spaces could be converted to paid parking or reserved for people with disabilities and workers with permits.
The Portland City Council was expected to consider the proposals Thursday, Oct. 29. The Central Eastside changes are slated to begin in November and December, according to the Portland Bureau of Transportation. They would affect about 11% of street parking spaces in the industrial district.
In parts of Eliot north of the Moda Center, PBOT proposes raising event parking from $5.40 to $8 an hour on certain blocks when an event is expected to draw at least 10,000 people. Three hours would cost $24, compared with $16.20 at the current rate. Drivers with Zone V parking permits would be exempt.
The city says the higher event rate is intended to discourage visitors from filling neighborhood streets and preserve parking for residents and local businesses.
In the Central Eastside, the proposed mix of parking rules would include paid spaces and spaces for drivers with disabilities or employees holding parking permits. Visitors could park in permit spaces for up to two hours. Existing metered parking in the district costs $2.20 an hour, generally from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
PBOT says new restaurants, shops and other businesses have increased demand, and the changes are intended to make it easier for customers to find parking while maintaining access for people who work in the district. The bureau says it reviewed parking demand and surveyed local businesses. An interactive city map shows streets that would be affected.
The proposals come as PBOT faces budget shortfalls and follows two rounds of meter-rate increases in the past two years. A citywide increase of about 25% in 2025 was estimated to generate an additional $5.5 million annually; several districts saw another 20-cent-per-hour increase in July.