Great Cowboy Town in Montana Has Massive Parking Issues

Could this spell doom for many tourist towns in Montana?

Parking in Montana

Aren't we known for big open spaces?

You wouldn't think parking would be an issue in Montana, but that has changed.

Finding parking in downtown areas, going grocery shopping, or finding a place to put on your ski hill apparel can be a nuisance.

Places in Montana that have seen a surge of tourists and new residents have trouble fixing this problem.

High tourist areas like Big Sky, Bozeman, Whitefish, and other towns have had massive problems with available parking.

Cities like Missoula and Billings have instituted paid parking with mixed results.

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Some residents hate it, but others are happy that folks can't leave their cars sitting all day or night taking up spots.

Bozeman thought about adding paid parking to downtown a couple of years ago, but there was pushback from locals and business owners.

Another town in Montana might have a heavy discussion about paid parking.

Livingston Might Add Paid Parking

NBC Montana reports the classic cowboy town of Livingston is looking into their parking problems, and paid parking might be a solution.

Livingston discovered that more than 90% of available parking in their downtown is in constant use, and the town is looking for solutions.

Some of the ideas that have come up are parking meters along Main Street and around the downtown area.

Another idea is to build a public parking structure.

Livingston employees would have a permit system to bypass most paid parking.

This plan isn't finite, and the town wants to figure out more medium to long-term solutions for the future of Livingston.

Should Paid Parking Be A Thing in Montana?

It's a toss-up.

Depending on where you live, parking could be easy because you might know where the secret spots are, but other places might have nightmare scenarios for parking.

We have seen Bozeman have parking issues constantly with events like Music on Main, Christmas Stroll, or parades.

If you don't get downtown early, you might be driving around for a while to find any side street parking, which upsets residents who need that spot for their car.

Should more places in Montana consider paid parking?

Let us know what you think.