For Immediate Release:

Media Contact

Cary Tyson

cary@portlandmaine.com

207.772.6828 x212

Park and Work Program Sees Enhancements for Downtown Employees

Eligible workers can now park in select downtown garages for half price for up to 9 hours

Portland, ME — The City of Portland and Portland Downtown are pleased to announce enhancements to the Park & Work Program, designed to provide more effective parking solutions for low-to-moderate-income employees in downtown Portland.

Portland Downtown’s Park & Work Program, administered in partnership with the City of Portland, offers half-priced, hourly parking in the city-owned Spring Street & Elm Street garages to low- to moderate-income employees and unpaid volunteers. It is designed to ease the financial burden of parking expenses.

Effective January 2025, key program changes include:

• Increased income eligibility from 50% to 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI),
• An extended parking time limit from six hours to nine hours, and
• The introduction of QR codes, which can be scanned upon exiting participating garages.

"These enhancements ensure that the Park & Work program effectively serves its intended audience: the dedicated employees of Portland's downtown businesses. By extending the parking duration, we provide everyday workers with an affordable place to park their vehicle while they contribute to our vibrant community,” said Cary Tyson, Executive Director of Portland Downtown.

Each QR code costs $6, providing 3 hours of parking at $2 per hour, compared to the standard rate of $4. Eligible workers can use up to three QR codes at once, allowing them to park for up to 9 hours a day at half price, for a total of $18. QR codes are available for purchase at the Portland Downtown office (22 Free Street, Suite 201) during regular business hours.

This change is complemented by the City of Portland's recent decision to extend the maximum parking limit for on-street parking on Spring Street, opposite the Cross Arena between Center Street and the Holiday Inn By the Bay. The time limit for the parking meters in this section has been increased from two hours to nine hours.

Information on the Median Income Limits by Family Size, according to the Maine State Housing Authority, is available here. 

Starting February 1, 2025, Park & Work Stickers will no longer be valid. Workers should use their existing stickers before the end of the year and switch to QR codes beginning in February. QR codes are now available for purchase at the Portland Downtown office at 22 Free Street, Suite 201.

About Portland Downtown

Portland Downtown is a 501c4 non-profit Downtown Improvement District (DID) working to stimulate a thriving, vibrant, and sustainable downtown community.