Spokane's daily parking rates continue to rank among the lowest on the continent, based on results from a new survey by the Washington, D.C.-based National Parking Association that examined parking rates in 146 markets throughout the U.S. and Canada.

The survey measures monthly, daily, and hourly parking rates, including parking facilities at hospitals, hotels, educational institutions, and airports. It also documents rate trends in downtown parking areas and among institutional owners and operators.

Spokane's listed average price of $10 per day for a premium downtown space was more than one-third below the North American average of $15.92 for up to 12 hours and half the continent-average rate of $20.06 for 12 to 24 hours.

Dan Geiger, vice president for Seattle-based Diamond Parking Inc.'s Spokane region, says he believes even that $10 listed figure for Spokane is high, and that $8 a day is more the norm for premium downtown space here.

"There's no question the rates here lag behind other parts of the country," Geiger says.

Diamond Parking operates in 40 cities throughout the western U.S., and owns or manages about 70 Spokane-area properties that probably have a combined total of more than 6,000 parking spaces, he says.

The latest National Parking Association survey showed that downtown parkers in New York paid a maximum daily rate of $44, and those in San Francisco paid $40, while drivers in Chicago and Philadelphia paid more than $35. Seattle wasn't far behind at $33.95, while Boise's average price of $12 was $2 higher than Spokane's.

On the other end of the spectrum, drivers in Decatur, Ill., could park for as little as $2 a day, and daily parking in Buffalo, N.Y., and Edmonton, Alberta, could be found for as little as $4.25.

The North American average of $15.92 per day for a premium spot for up to 12 hours, while high by Spokane standards, was down markedly from $20.01 last year, the survey showed. At the same time, the average price of the least expensive space in the markets covered by the study climbed over the past year, to $8.48 from $7.64 in 2009. Spokane, at $3 a day for the least expensive space, remained below that overall average, and Boise was even lower, at $2. Seattle's listed least expensive space, by comparison, was $12.25.

Similarly, the average cost of a premium reserved monthly space in North America dropped to $240 from $281, while the cost of the least expensive reserved monthly space increased slightly, to $142 from $140. In Spokane, the survey data showed costs of $185 and $170, respectively, for the most and least expensive reserved monthly spaces, while Boise was lower yet at $175 and $110. In Seattle, the most expensive reserved monthly space averaged $450, and the least expensive space was $260.

For unreserved monthly parking, the listed Spokane rates ranged from $70 to $120, which were well below the North American average of $86 to $169, and less than half of Seattle's rates, which ranged from $176 to $291. Boise's rates in that category were substantially lower than Spokane's, in a range of $28 to $100.

Diamond Parking's Geiger says the reported unreserved monthly parking rate for Spokane also seems a bit high, considering there's a lot downtown on Pacific Avenue where the rate is $54 a month and one on the north side of the river where spaces go for $37 a month.

Overall, only 27 percent of the central business district operators surveyed increased parking rates, while 66 percent held their rates steady, and 7 percent lowered their rates.

"These daily and monthly price trends reflect the state of the economy," says Christine Banning, National Parking Association president. "Consumers are being more careful about how they spend their money, and they are looking for ways to economize. These rate trends reflect the extent to which parkers are seeking out less expensive parking options and driving their rate decisions."

Geiger says, "The more office buildings that have tenants in them, the more retail spaces that are leased—all of that drives demand for parking."

The recession's impact on central business district parking has varied widely depending on locale, the survey showed, with 32 percent of operators reporting increased revenues and 40 percent report a decrease.

"While the data provided through this survey point in several directions, there is cause for optimism," Banning says. "Even though revenues are down for many parking owners and operators, some, particularly municipal operators, have experienced increased revenues over the past year. I'm confident that as the economy continues to rebound, the parking industry will also enjoy important gains."

Geiger says he expects parking rates here to remain relatively flat here for the next 18 to 24 months, partly because Spokane's economy typically lags that of the nation and it might take that long before the demand for parking picks up enough to justify rate increases.