Petition to Stop Paid Parking at Reston Town Center Gets 6,000 Signatures

RESTON, VA — We're still nearly a month away from when free parking ends at Reston Town Center, and already locals are so furious about the change that more than 6,000 have signed a petition demanding that officials change course.

Reston Town Center announced earlier this month that it would be ending free parking and instituting a system that would have visitors pay via an app downloaded on your smartphone known as ParkRTC (you also have the option of paying online or by phone). Fees would generally run about $2 per hour, with some variation depending on how long you stay.

The backlash was swift and strong from Reston locals, many of whom pledged to stop shopping and dining at RTC. A petition posted to Change.org, "Stop New Parking Garage Fees at Reston Town Center," currently has 6,149 signatures as of about noon on Aug. 18.

"RTC claims there are too many commuter and Dulles airport parkers who are taking up valuable parking spots, and points to the Metro opening in 2020 as the reason to convert the free garages to a pay-to-park system," the petition states. "But in nearby Tysons Corner where there is an adjacent Metro station with no designated Metro parking, there are no plans to charge money for parking. Tysons has handled the commuter issue by having gates to the garages that open after 9:30 unless you have a passcard (as a Mall employee, etc)."

The petition will be delivered to Boston Properties, the property manager for Reston Town Center.