Letter to the Editor

I don’t know if I am the only one with this problem in Austin, but I am totally sick of the difficulty of parking in the downtown area.

The two-hour parking law on Main Street and area is not enough time to go shopping, banking, to lunch or to coffee with friends, and now we have to bring a tape measure with us so we don’t park too close or too far from the curb. What is going to happen this winter when snow is piled up against the curb?

We have many unique stores and restaurants downtown, and they should get the same consideration as the malls with free parking or at least some consideration to their shoppers. I have seen the ticket person write a ticket, even though he sees the car owner approaching.

We need to rent our buildings and apartments on Main Street, and I know everyone is working toward that goal; but it is no wonder people avoid the downtown area with these rules.

Maybe free parking, or at least four-hour parking, would help, and we could also leave our tape measure at home.

Jean Arnold

Austin