Free 2-hour parking in State College starts today

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (WTAJ) – Downtown parking in State College will be free of charge – for the first 2 hours – for part of August.

Starting Aug. 6, all municipal parking, meters, lots and garages will have free 2-hour parking. The free parking period will last until Aug. 18, right before University Park college students return for the Fall semester.

The initiative is intended to motivate residents and visitors to explore the downtown area following a lengthy summer of downtown construction that hurt local businesses.

While no businesses were closed, construction blocked routes and easy accessibility to nearby businesses. Part of the construction is the Calder Way project, which included work from McAllister Street to South Fraser Street, as well as South Allen Street between Calder Way and College Avenue.

The Calder Way project construction is intended to transform Calder Way into a more pedestrian friendly area and reduce vehicle traffic.

The Downtown State College Improvement District and the Borough of State College announced the free parking initiative to support local companies and reinvigorate the downtown area.