Just in time for the Fourth of July holiday weekend, the City of Tampa is mixing things up with new policies.
Beginning July 1, city officials will launch two new efforts to make parking easier for residents and visitors.
To begin, anyone with a disability parking permit or license plate will be able to park for free for up to four hours.
These folks may park in any metered on-street space. To obtain the free four-hour parking, they do not need to use a pay station or start a parking session through any mobile app.
“We’re excited to launch these changes the day of Boom by the Bay, allowing families and visitors of all abilities to enjoy our downtown without barriers or limitations,” Mayor Jane Castor said.
“By providing hours of free ADA parking spaces throughout Tampa, we are sending a clear message that every individual, regardless of their abilities, deserves equal opportunities to participate in and experience all that our community has to offer.”
Those who do not qualify for free ADA parking can still use Tampa’s 16,000 parking spaces located across the city. Drivers can pay for parking using one of four major mobile parking payment apps.
Passport, PayByPhone, ParkMobile, and Flowbird are free mobile apps that allow users to pay for parking with their smartphones and may be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play Store.