The City of Fredericksburg’s public parking garage on Sophia Street is about to have an upgrade. A new pay station and gate will be installed September 3rd – 12th and it will be a cashless system. The current pay stations will no longer be accepting cash payments as of August 30th. The garage will remain open for public parking during the scheduled installation.
This new technology will accept credit cards at a new “pay-on-foot” station by the 1st floor elevator and also at the exit gate where drivers may pay from their car upon exit. In addition to making the pay process more convenient for drivers, this new system is expected to generate cost savings for the City as well as reduce maintenance and repairs.
The Parking Garage, which was built in 2005 to address the parking concerns of the downtown area, has been using the current pay stations since its original opening. By upgrading to this new technology, the City is seeking to streamline payments and offer speedier exits of traffic. The system being replaced can only accept payment at two “pay-on-foot” stations – one near the exit and one near the pedestrian entrance from Caroline Street. Many customers drive to the gate expecting to pay there, but have to get out of their car and walk to the pay station before being able to leave.
The Parking Garage is located at 601 Sophia Street and is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and offers a great parking destination for visitors to downtown Fredericksburg. It is a convenient walking distance to downtown shopping and dining areas. It is free to park in the garage for the first 3 hours and then $1 for each hour after with a maximum of $8 per day. Well-lit and monitored by security cameras, the garage is served by a parking attendant during the hours of Monday through Friday 6:30am-9:30pm, Saturday 7:30am-9:30pm, and Sunday 8:30am-7:30pm.
While cash payments will no longer be accepted after August 30th in the garage itself, customers who do not possess a credit/debit card will be able to pay in cash at the Parking Garage Office, located on the 2nd floor of the building next door (601 Caroline Street) during business hours. For more information about parking passes, the new cashless system, or how this change might affect monthly parking passes, please feel free to call 540-371-8542 or visit www.Fredericksburgva.gov.
