Commuters will be able to return to their familiar morning routine when the Third Street Commuter Parking Deck reopens Sunday, Feb. 1 for the first time in six months.

The first two levels of the deck will be available for parking, and the daily fee remains the same price at $2.

Construction on the new third tier expansion project is substantially completed, but the area needs to be sealed, striped and painted in the spring when temperatures are warmer. Other landscaping work and miscellaneous punch list items also will take place then.

“We thank our commuters for their patience during the past six months of construction and are pleased to provide them with this additional parking when the third level opens later this spring,” City Administrator Mary McKittrick said. “We are delighted with the outcome of the project and appreciate Metra’s grant funding for this endeavor.”

When construction began in August, the City reached an agreement with Pace Bus to provide free temporary commuter parking with shuttle service at First Baptist Church East Campus, 2300 South St., and the baseball field parking lot east of the Public Works Department, 1800 South St. Signage has been posted at both locations alerting commuters about the opening of the parking deck and the shuttle’s last day of operation, which will be Monday, Feb. 2.

The $4.5 million third tier expansion will provide an additional 180 parking spaces (total deck parking will be 540) and is being funded entirely by grants through Metra. The deck was expanded in order to accommodate parking that will be lost as part of Union Pacific’s future plans to add a third rail line, which will remove some existing surface parking spaces.

For more information about the project, visit the City’s website at the link below.