BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Parking on Elmwood and Hertel in Buffalo can be tough. The City recently voted to hike parking rates and extend paid hours. But that only applies to part of the downtown area, not Elmwood Village or Hertel Avenue.
Still, business owners there face their own parking issues and they're speaking up.
"Everybody has a personal story of somebody who came to their store to shop, perhaps for an event, and swore to never shop at their store again because of the ridiculous tickets that they get," owner of Thin Ice, Therese Deutschlander, said. She's been at her location for 12 years and said parking has always been an issue.
Measures like seasonal parking have been put in place to free up more spots, but Deutschlander says that's not enough.
"This has been an issue, like I said,, for 12 years and certainly other business owners have brought it up before I have and nothing ever gets done about it," she said.
Over on Hertel, the owner of Hertel Avenue Poutine and Cream views parking issues as a cost of business.
"We're lucky enough to have a lot, but unfortunately, the street fills up very quickly...We also have a lot of patrons that go to restaurants across the street or bars next to us and take the spots, so unfortunately we have to spend quite a bit having a parking attendant," owner Jacob Fraser said.
City officials say metered parking tickets are down from last year in the Downtown and Central Business areas.
Both parking on Hertel and Elmwood remain free after 5p.m. and on the weekends.
