Visitors to downtown Chattanooga will soon be paying higher rates to park at meters.
Steve Jett, chairman of the CARTA board, said Chattanooga rates have been considerably below meter rates for other cities for a long time.
He said proposals to raise those rates will be heard by the CARTA board at a meeting on July 17.
The rate increases are not only for older meters, but may also go into effect for newly installed meters along the riverfront and in North Chattanooga, he said.
Mr. Jett said CARTA is also looking at rate increases at lots it oversees.
The board chairman said due to the city's low meter rates, he said many people feed the meters through the day "and use them for all-day parking." He said that means they are not available for customers of downtown businesses.
He said the "substantial" amount of new revenue will help CARTA avert elimination of the popular free downtown electric bus shuttle as well as save night and weekend transit service.
But he said there still may be some reductions in shuttle and transit service to help meet a budget driven by spiraling diesel costs.
The CARTA board will hold a work session on Monday at 10 a.m. to look at alternatives for meeting the budget.
There will be a public hearing on proposed cuts on Monday at 6 p.m. at the Bicentennial Library.