ParkWise Introduction
ParkWise is a downtown parking management program operated under the umbrella of the Albany Downtown Association. We contract with the city of Albany to enforce parking zones within the downtown area to ensure there is plentiful customer parking.
There is currently a Downtown Parking Survey underway to access our current and plan for future needs. For up-to-date information on the survey and how to get involved in shaping Downtown parking, visit the parking section of the City of Albany’s CARA webpage.
There are several options for parking in downtown that vary depending on whether you are a customer, employee or resident. We provide four large public parking lots for customer convenience as well as on-street parking. You can view the color-coded map to see the different zones within downtown. Listed below are the parking options.
Customer Parking
Customers may park free in any zone Downtown except lease lots. Look for signs on the street and in lots to determine time zones. Parking times zones are: All Day Customer, 4-Hour Customer, 3-Hour Customer, 30-Minute and 10-Minute. Not every space is marked, so use common sense to determine how spaces are zoned.
Special Permits
These are designed for employees who are frequently in and out of the office and/or constantly loading and unloading supplies and need close access to their place of employment more than 5 times per month. These permits are available at the discretion of the ParkWise Advisory Board and cost $50 per month.*
Employee Permits
These are for employee on-street parking in designated areas only and in the Bank Lot. Employees include paid staff, unpaid staff/volunteers and booth vendors. Available on a first-come-first-served basis and cost $25 per month.* No particular space can be reserved for permit holders.
Resident Permits
These have the same guidelines as employee permits but are available for just $5 a month with proof of residency in a legal Downtown residential dwelling.*
Lease Spaces
These are located in lots between 1st Avenue and Water Street and the Bank Lot. They are reserved for the individual leasing a particular space number. Lease spaces provide the only guaranteed ParkWise parking Downtown. The cost is $20 per month.*
Downtown Free Lot
This lot is located on Water Avenue between Broadalbin and Ferry Streets. It is an all-day lot for any employee, resident or visitor who wants a free place to park legally within the patrolled area of Downtown.
Daily Permits
These are available on a day-by-day basis for occasional use. These permits allow employees and others to access 3-hour and 4-hour customer only parking for the entire day. They can be used for long-term loading and unloading, temporary injuries, temporary employees or other valid reasons that require you to park close to your place of employment. There is a limit of five Daily Permits per month to each individual. Daily permits are not valid in 10-minute, 30-minute or lease spaces.
*To sign up for a permit or lease space, visit the ParkWise office (Mon-Fri 9 am-5 pm). Permits & lease spaces are issued in person only. They are not available online or by phone.
Contractor Permits
These are available to free to contractors working within the Downtown enforcement boundary and are available in person at the ParkWise office. Contractor permits are not valid in 10-minute, 30-minute or lease spaces.
For questions or more information, contact ParkWise at (541) 924-0576 or stop in at 126 Ferry Street SW in Downtown Albany.
Municipal Code: 13.21 Regulations for Motor Vehicle Parking.
