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Downtown Tulsa Parking Ticket Forgiveness Could be in the Cards

A non-functioning downtown Tulsa parking meter
KWGS News Photo
A non-functioning downtown Tulsa parking meter

With all the talk about downtown Tulsa parking right now, another change could be coming.

The Downtown Coordinating Council is one group proposing a parking ticket forgiveness program for specific circumstances.

"I would really like to see the city adopt a ticket forgiveness program for anybody who leaves their car overnight who decided to take an Uber home so they didn’t drunk drive," said DCC member Elliot Nelson.

Austin, Texas, offers a parking ticket forgiveness program for its downtown area. Drivers just need to provide a receipt from a rideshare company, taxi or bus, and that can be submitted online within 24 hours of getting the ticket.

"I think it would be really effective here because one of the things we hear a lot from customers and, unfortunately, employees is that when they’ve gotten in trouble, a lot of times they didn’t want to leave their car there because they didn’t want to get a ticket," Nelson said.

Nelson brought up the idea with city councilors during a committee meeting this week. Councilor Blake Ewing said he’s heard from constituents wanting the same thing.

"I think it’s a great idea and will champion that thing through. Maybe it will be my lame duck, swan song ordinance," Ewing said.

Matt Trotter joined KWGS as a reporter in 2013. Before coming to Public Radio Tulsa, he was the investigative producer at KJRH. His freelance work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times and on MSNBC and CNN.