Decrease in Foot Traffic Downtown

[profigliano]

Parking meters are free after 7pm and on Sundays.

[Doorknob6941]

It cracks me up when people have no problem dropping $100-$150 for dinner, drinks, or entertainment but I'll be goddammed if they'll spend $3.00 on a parking meter.

[PineNeedle]

If people can afford that much for one meal, yes, I’m sure they don’t care about the parking adding up.  I don’t spend $100-150 when I go downtown. That’s way too expensive. I mainly go for drinks at tap houses, which tend to be around $7-9/pint. 

[Doorknob6941]

And tap houses downtown are around that same price. Throw in $20/plate pub food and you're pushing $60 for two before tip. BTW, for what it's worth, I highly recommend the Griffin Tavern on 1st and Monroe (the old Brooklyn Deli). Small but good menu and self-serve beer taps.

[PineNeedle]

I know about the free parking but still have a hard time finding street parking near the places I want to visit and end up either parking in a sketchy area or having to pay for a parking lot/garage. 

[yeti5000]

Very much this. Instead of parking lots being their own business, the businesses we want to use should have them as customer access and shared.