WASHINGTON, D.C. (WUSA) - Beginning Wednesday, the D.C. government is no longer reserving roughly ten percent of parking meters for handicapped drivers.
City officials say for the next 90 days, anybody can use the discounted Red Top meters which allow twice the time for parking.
The change promises to keep everybody fighting for coveted parking in town.
:
Almost everybody arriving to pay their parking tickets in the District has a story. The City's parking enforcement efforts are always criticized, so it will come as no surprise to hear few people can agree on the latest change, the D.C. Council's approval of emergency legislation that directs the Mayor to stop reserving the Red Top meters for disabled drivers;
Those handicapped drivers argued Wednesday that there are simply not enough of those meters to go around.
Council member Muriel Bowser agrees. Under her bill, everybody can park at a Red Top meter which allows up to four hours parking compared to two hours at the regular meters.
The emergency measure means handicapped drivers now go back to being able to park anywhere at any meter, free, with a handicapped placard on display.
A bigger problem not addressed might be people with phony handicapped placards.
400 to 500 Red Top meters are in place with another 600 waiting to be installed. That won't happen now.