Buffalo Proposes Fare Increase on City’s 5 Parking Ramps

Buffalo Parking Commissioner Raymond Wagner is seeking approval from the Common Council to increase parking rates at five city parking ramps.

Ramps and locations are: Mohawk, 477 Washington St.; Fernbach, 200 Pearl Street; Augspurger, 362 Pearl St.; Adam, 343 Washington Street; and Turner, 1 Perkins Drive.

All are managed by Buffalo Civic Auto Ramp.

Wagner’s proposal would increase all monthly parking rates by $10. The maximum daily rate (6 a.m. to 6 p.m.) would increase by $1. A 50-cent increase is recommended for the hourly rate, and the nightly flat rate would increase by $2.

The maximum daily rate is currently $9 at all five locations. Hourly rates are all $2 and night rates are $30 on all ramps.

Monthly rates for regular places are: Mohawk, $95; Fernbach, $105; Augspurger, $97; Adam, $87; and Turner, $99.

Ramps have higher monthly rates for nested, reserved, or enclosed spaces.

The last time the city increased parking garage rates was in February 2020.

Wagner’s request will be discussed Tuesday in the Council’s finance committee.

At a meeting at Buffalo Place Wednesday morning, Buffalo Civic Auto Ramp Executive Director Sam Iraci reported that from July 2023 to April 2024, the cumulative gross revenues for the five garages were $7.8 million . Projected gross revenues are $9.3 million at the end of the fiscal year. Operating expenses since the beginning of the year represent 38% of gross revenues.

The city’s year-to-date net income represents 49% of gross income and is expected to reach $4.5 million by the end of the fiscal year.

Journalist Jonathan Epstein contributed to this story.