Parking has always been a problem in Portland, Maine, but when did it become SO expensive?

I work in downtown Portland and love it. I park in a garage that isn’t cheap but guarantees me a spot. It’s not easy to find parking in a small, popular downtown area of ​​Maine’s largest city. I recently had a situation where I just gave up and pulled into a parking lot very close to where I was going to pick up pizza for the evening.

I was lucky that there were a few spaces left in this parking lot. You park and then pay with your license plate. I figured it would probably cost $10, but once again I was at my wits’ end and decided to blame it on the cost of a delicious pizza in Portland, Maine.

“There’s no way I’m paying that much for parking in Portland, Maine.”

The shock was palpable when I pressed the green button to start the process.

I said loudly:

There is no way I am paying that much for parking in Portland, Maine.

It took me 30 minutes tops, and I wasn’t about to pay $22 to pick up pizza. I wasn’t about to pay $22 to do anything in Portland, Maine.

I understand that it is a private company and that there were many cars in that parking lot (one of many) paying that amount. This makes me think I got into the wrong industry. Eventually I found a parking space that met my requirements and was free. I love this city, but sometimes it makes me shake my head.