Frequently Asked Questions about Paid Parking on the Hood River Waterfront:
Why does the Port charge for parking at the waterfront, and why did the rates go up this year along with the addition of charging at the Hook and the Marina?
For many years, the Port has utilized some toll revenue to fund the waterfront parks and recreational amenities, including the Marina and the waterfront trail. This practice is ending due to the significant costs to maintain and eventually replace the bridge. The Port Commission has set a goal to end toll revenue subsidies for all non-bridge expenses by June 30, 2026. This is a very tight deadline to find other revenue and solutions to keep the parks funded.
Typically, municipalities will use property tax revenue to fund public parks and trails and other amenities, but the Port’s tax rate is only $0.03322 per $1,000 in assessed value. This means that most households in the County pay less than $20 a year to the Port each year.
So, with toll revenue subsidies ending and insufficient property tax revenue to fund the recreational facilities, user fees are going up and being newly implemented where there weren’t any prior.
Can I use my annual pass in the new areas?
2023 Annual Passes are now accepted at the Event Site and Lot 1, West Jensen, and the Marina Boat Launch Parking Lots. They are not valid for on-street parking, including the Hook. Passes are sold for the lots because there are enough parking spots to meet all-day demand and have overflow parking available for days when the lots are full. On-street parking, and the 28 spaces at the Hook aren’t adequate for the all-day demand and so hourly parking is implemented to encourage turnover.
Why did the Port remove the parking kiosks and stop taking payment at the Event Site booth?
The Port’s ten CALE parking kiosks were ill suited to the waterfront and frequently overheated and stopped functioning. Outdated communication parts also caused frequent outages and maintenance and replacement costs were far too high for the Port’s needs. Mobile payment options are more convenient for most people and help avoid the need to walk long distances from your car to pay for parking or add time. As the Port works toward a near future without toll subsidies for waterfront parks, cost-cutting measures are an important component. Event Site booth personnel are still available to assist with Visitor Information and helping customers new to the mobile payment system.
Is there a senior citizen, resident, or veteran discount for the annual passes?
There are no special discounts offered at this time. New rates for the 2024 Annual Passes will be announced in mid-December 2023.