This is a Boo-Boo. Portland is Not Changing Free Parking Times

This is some good info especially if you are heading to the Old Port for some St. Patrick's Day fun.

If you have ever gotten lucky with parking along Fore Street in Portland's Old Port - good for you! But if it's at night, there are a couple of things to be aware! First and foremost, no, Portland has NOT changed the times of free parking like this meter on Fore Street appears to suggest.

We all know that parking is free after 6 pm, right? Yes, it is. According to the City of Portland:

It is our meter. It should say 9:00 AM-6:00 PM. We will get it corrected. We just upgraded the meters and I am assuming that the message/programing got messed up because that meter and the one next to it shut down completely at 9:00 PM. That section of Fore St becomes a no-parking tow-away zone after 9:00 PM per the Police Dept. There are also signs posted on the light poles.

That makes complete sense. Yes, when I first moved to Maine, I was bit by the 9 pm shut down of Fore Street. Look for these signs - and yes...the excuse of you didn't see it won't work, there are a ton of them everywhere along Fore.

You did not miss a memo and parking times are not changing in Portland. It's just a friendly reminder that as you head out to celebrate the 2% Irish you have (according to Ancestry) if you score a spot on Fore Street in the Old Port - move that sucker by 9 pm, or the police department will do it for ya!