By Elizabeth Barhydt
New Canaan is about to change the daily rhythm of downtown parking—gently, deliberately, and with an eye toward making it easier to run an errand, meet a friend, or catch a movie without circling the block in frustration.
The town’s long-planned parking update takes effect Monday, October 6. At the center of the plan are two simple switches. First, the busiest stretches of Elm Street, between Main and Park, and South Avenue, between Cherry and Elm, will shift from free to paid parking. The two-hour limit remains, but kiosks that are interspersed on Elm and South will now run in 30-minute increments. The point is not to punish drivers but to encourage turnover in the prime spaces, so more shoppers can find a spot when they need one.
Second, the large Park Street Lot, at the top of Park Street, directly behind Elm Street retail shops, will move in the opposite direction: from paid to free. With more than 120 spaces available, a three-hour limit, and two walkways leading directly to Elm, this lot is meant to absorb the everyday demand that Elm and South cannot carry alone. The town notes that more free parking will be added here than the number of spaces shifting to paid on the street.
The plan is designed to do something simple and necessary: reduce congestion. For years, the most convenient curbside spaces were free, drawing cars to circle endlessly, while nearby lots sat partly empty. The new approach balances free and paid parking, spreads out the demand, and keeps the heart of downtown from getting jammed.
There are also small accommodations built in for the everyday dash. Seven spaces on Park Street will remain free, but with a 15-minute limit—mirroring the short-stop spaces on Morse Court—so you can pick up dry cleaning or drop off a prescription without worrying about overstaying.
Commuters and late arrivers will see new flexibility, too. After 10:30 a.m., any open spaces in the Lumberyard and Richmond Hill commuter lots will be free to the public for the remainder of the day. That means if you’re heading downtown for a mid-morning meeting or an afternoon matinee, you’ll have additional options without charge.
In all, downtown still offers more than 1,600 parking spaces across 15 different lots and streets, with hundreds remaining free. The town highlights that the plan adds 120 free spaces in the Park Street Lot while converting about 75 curbside spaces to paid—a trade that leaves the community with more free parking overall.
Paying for a spot will be straightforward. New Canaan is introducing a Pay-by-Plate system—just enter your license plate at the kiosk or on your phone. Drivers can use the PayByPhone app or pay at kiosks with coins or a card. Elm and South will operate as one zone, so you can pay at any kiosk on those streets and be covered. The rate is $0.75 per 30 minutes, or $1.25 per hour, enforced Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Other apps, including ParkMobile and Passport Parking, will be added soon, giving drivers more choices.
Physical improvements are also on the way: larger spaces and improved flow in the Park Street Lot, a new accessible walkway and ramp between the Playhouse and Le Pain Quotidien, and a designated loading zone to reduce double-parking during deliveries on Elm Street.
“Change is never easy,” First Selectman Dionna Carlson said as the launch date neared. “These parking updates reflect many months of community input and thoughtful planning. We know it will take time to adjust, but our goal is to make downtown more accessible, less congested and even more enjoyable for everyone. We appreciate the community’s patience and partnership as we move forward together.”
Clear new signage is going up across downtown to help drivers adjust. The “Parking at a Glance” guide, available at the Parking Department office, lays it all out: Elm and South are paid with a two-hour max; Park Street Lot is three-hour free; Morse Court and Playhouse remain paid; Pine Street Lot is free with a two-hour limit; and after 10:30 a.m., the Lumberyard and Richmond Hill commuter lots open to everyone for the rest of the day.
For residents who value routine, the habit may shift, but the purpose remains the same. Downtown should be a place where people can stop in, not give up. The town is betting that a modest price on the busiest blocks, paired with more free spaces just behind them, will keep New Canaan’s downtown humming and hospitable.
On Monday, watch for the new green-and-white signs and perhaps, finally, a straighter shot to the open space you used to miss. That small relief—a found parking spot—sounds ordinary. In a small town, it’s community in action.
The Parking At A Glance and all other information can also be found at newcanaan.info under the Parking Department page.
