Parking rate hike in Alexandria

The Alexandria City Council has approved a parking meter rate hike to $1.75 an hour from rates that ranged between $1 and $1.25, the Washington Examiner reports.

City officials said the higher fee was needed to help accelerate the flow of customers to local businesses where meters are too cheap to inspire drivers to get moving, the report said.

The council also voted to raise towing charges to $125 from $100. Officials estimate that the meter and towing fee hikes will generate about $876,000 in new revenue in 2011, the report said.

The new fees are set to begin in July.

Read the Washington Examiner report.