Fort Worth Taking New Approach To Valet Parking In Downtown's Sundance Square

FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - Valet parking has returned to Fort Worth's Sundance Square, but with a new price as the downtown district phases in a new parking approach intended to cut down on traffic and make the area more pedestrian friendly.

At least two valet stations have returned, after being suspended in January during the peak of COVID-19 cases. The price for 30 minutes of parking increased from $5 to $7. The all-day rate moved from $20 to $21. Validation from restaurants and businesses however, will no longer be available for valet service.

Validated tickets for up to two hours of free parking will still be available in self-park surface lots and garages, mostly on the edges of the 36-block district. Those lots are still entirely free for now, until the program is fully phased in sometime later this spring.

Sundance management was concerned the valet program was adding a considerable amount of congestion downtown. Some drivers had been seen using valet for parking, then taking a train or rideshare to the airport and leaving their car in the valet space for up to a week. Rideshare drivers would also use it to park for free, while waiting for their next pickup.

The popular Sundance Square plaza is still closed, only allowing people to pass through the downtown block. Management is optimistic it will reopen but did not have a specific date set.