Parking Tickets May Triple For Double Parking
Chicago (CBS) - Double parking in the Loop may soon come with a heftier fines. The increase in fines aims to eliminate double parking and the blocking of bike lanes.
Parking tickets currently cost $100 in the city of Chicago, but a new proposal plans to triple the fine to $300.
Commercial and delivery drivers, including Mitch Fuller and Marco Rodriguez, fear the increase in fines will make their jobs harder.
"We just got [a ticket for double parking] today," says Fuller. "We don't have no other choice but to double park, so what else do they want us to do?"
"I think it's ridiculous. There's no parking and then some of the loading zones they do have, they're not available. People just take them up and park all day," explains Rodriguez.
The increased fines would apply in the heart of the city of Chicago, from Division St. to Roosevelt and Halsted to the lake.
Alderman Brian Hopkins, a co-sponsor of the proposed increase, says, "We have to take every step we can to keep the flow of traffic moving and to work with that we've inherited, which is a street grid that isn't going to get any bigger."
There's agreement that Loop traffic is worse than ever with dedicated bus lanes and bicycle lanes taking away space for cars, but deliver crews call the stiff fines a money grab.
"A $300 [fine] sounds terrible. That's like a rip-off," says Fuller.
"My preference would be we never collect another dollar from a motorist illegally parking because there is no illegal parking," says Hopkins.
The increased double parking fines have already passed a city council committee. The full council will vote on the proposal tomorrow.
