ROSWELL — Drivers heading to downtown Roswell will get their first two hours of on-street parking free starting August 1, a shift from the $2-per-hour rate that took effect less than three months ago.
What’s Happening: The free window runs from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. Two new 30-minute free spots are also being added on Elizabeth Way for quick stops, pickups, and drop-offs. Both changes are part of the city’s Downtown Parking Pilot Program.
What’s New: When paid parking launched May 15, the meter started at $2 per hour from the moment a driver parked, with a $16 daily cap after six hours. Under the new setup, parking is free for the first two hours during the morning and early afternoon.
Catch Up Quick: The Roswell City Council voted 4-2 in the spring to launch the seven-month pilot on Canton Street, Elizabeth Way, and East Alley. Council members Jennifer Phillippi and Chris Zack voted against it. Phillippi had asked city staff to come back with a plan that included two free hours. The city’s new 394-space parking deck at 1056 Alpharetta Street is still free while Green Street construction continues nearby.
The Path Forward: The pilot runs through December 31. In January 2027, the council will decide whether to make the downtown parking setup permanent.
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
- B.T. Clark
- B.T. Clark
- B.T. Clark
- B.T. Clark
