12/29/05
The Chicago Transit Authority will start a new monthly parking program on January 1 that will allow customers to reserve parking spaces at three of its most heavily used Park & Ride lots near O'Hare and Midway Airports. The new parking initiative is part of a pilot program designed to enhance customer convenience and generate additional revenue.
"Park & Ride facilities are convenient and offer travel flexibility for our customers," said CTA President Frank Kruesi. ?Adding the reserved parking feature at some of our more heavily used parking lots is an amenity that will create a seamless transfer for many of our customers who use a combination of automobile and rail to complete their daily commutes."
?This program is another example of the CTA's commitment to provide value-added service for our customers and to generate revenue for the CTA," said Chicago Board Chairman Carole Brown.
During the pilot, the CTA will make monthly parking permits available for 15 percent of the spaces at the Cumberland Park & Ride located at 5800 N. Cumberland on the Blue Line near O'Hare Airport; and the Midway and Pulaski Park & Ride lots, located at 4612 W. 59th Street and 5106 S. Pulaski Road, respectively, on the Orange Line near Midway Airport.
Customers who reserve a parking space can assure themselves a spot at the lots, which normally fill up early. There are a total of 1,633 spaces available at the Cumberland Park & Ride, 299 at Midway and 390 at Pulaski. Of these, 15 percent of the spaces at each lot will be available for reserved parking.
The $43 permit reserves a parking space until 10 a.m. daily. After 10 a.m., the reservation will be forfeited for the day and the reserved parking space will become available to all customers entering the lot. The reserved spaces will be located closer to rail station entrances for added customer convenience. The remainder of the spaces will continue to be used on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Customers are required to pay the daily parking rate in addition to the $43 permit fee. The daily parking rate at the Midway and Pulaski Park & Ride lots is $2.00 for 24 hours of parking. The daily parking fee at the Cumberland parking lot is $2.00 for 12 hours of parking (additional rates apply after 12 hours).
There is also a $4.95 one time registration fee.
Interested customers can purchase a monthly parking permit at the participating parking facilities or online at www.transitchicago.com. For more information, contact Customer Service at 1-866-909-PARK. Permits will automatically renew each month until the customer opts out of the program.
Brochures explaining the program are available at the parking facilities and CTA stations adjacent to the facilities.
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