The public parking garage at 842 Palm Street in downtown San Luis Obispo is returning to a gated entry/exit system this March and visitors will once again pay for their parking session when they exit.
Changes to the parking garage will take effect once the gate and system are installed. The new system is part of the City of San Luis Obispo’s Parking Technology Roadmap adopted by Council and developed in collaboration with the community to improve the parking experience downtown. The new gated parking system is a return to the pay-upon-exit model, which is being used at the other two parking garages in the downtown.
“Our goal is to make it easier to park downtown,” said Donna King, Parking Program Manager at the City of SLO. “We heard the community feedback and continue to work closely with downtown businesses. With this new system, we are making parking more convenient and accessible, reducing wait times and providing a seamless experience for all visitors. Please come check out the new system and let us know what you think!”
Construction will begin on Monday, March 10, 2025, and will last for one to two weeks. All work will be limited to Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. The parking garage will stay open during construction, but visitors should be ready to stop or watch for changes in traffic control at the entrances and exits. To avoid delays, community members and permit holders are encouraged to park at the 919 Palm Street or 871 Marsh Street parking garages.
When visitors are ready to leave, there will be multiple payment options at this garage.
- Walk-up Payment Kiosks – Credit/Debit/Bills, No Coin
- Pay at the Gate – Credit/Debit only
- Contactless Payment – Phone & Digital Wallets
Monthly garage permit holders can continue to use their existing pass cards to access the garage.
In response to community needs, the City of San Luis Obispo has been making significant improvements to the public parking programs in downtown San Luis Obispo over the past year that will all make parking easier and more affordable. In May 2024, the City Council approved several changes to parking services that would offer customers the lowest possible prices and would better the parking user experience in a variety of ways. This includes technology improvements, using a consistent gated system and payment model for all parking garages.
The garage at 842 Palm Street is the first of the downtown garages slated to implement the new parking system. The system will be installed at the other two gated parking garages later this year. During this initial rollout, City staff welcomes visitors’ feedback so that refinements can be made.
For more details, visit Parking Projects | City of San Luis Obispo, CA
To receive updates from the City, please register for City News e-notifications on the City’s website at www.slocity.org/subscribe or follow the City of San Luis Obispo on social media.