Rehovot Proposes Higher Parking Fees for Non-Residents Amid Local Pushback
Rehovot municipality is advancing a proposal to raise blue-and-white parking tariffs for non-residents by 20% while lowering rates for local residents. The plan has sparked concern among local business owners amid ongoing infrastructure works.
Drivers visiting Rehovot for work, shopping, or leisure may soon face higher parking fees. The Rehovot municipality is advancing a proposal to adjust blue-and-white curb parking tariffs, which would increase the hourly rate for non-residents by approximately 20%. Simultaneously, parking fees for Rehovot residents are set to be reduced. The proposal, which still requires approval, is expected to be discussed at the upcoming city council meeting.
Lower Rates for Residents, Higher Costs for Visitors
According to the municipality's announcement, the hourly parking rate for non-residents will rise from 5.42 NIS to 6.50 NIS—an increase of 1.08 NIS per hour, or roughly 19.9%. The daily parking tariff will increase from 23.24 NIS to 26 NIS, adding 2.76 NIS and reflecting an increase of about 11.9%.
Conversely, Rehovot residents will pay 5 NIS per hour instead of the current 5.42 NIS under the proposal. Their daily parking rate will drop from 23.24 NIS to 20 NIS. This creates a 1.50 NIS hourly gap and a 6 NIS daily gap between city residents and visitors from outside.
The price hike may heavily impact commuters who drive to Rehovot daily, as well as visitors and patrons of local businesses. For example, a driver paying the daily parking rate for 20 working days a month will see monthly costs reach 520 NIS instead of the current 464.80 NIS—an additional 55.20 NIS per month.
Business Owners Warn of Lost Customers
Beyond the impact on commuters, concerns are rising over how the price increase will affect local businesses. Out-of-town customers visiting the city to shop, use services, or dine will be forced to pay more for parking. For businesses already grappling with accessibility issues due to infrastructure works, this presents an additional hurdle that could deter customers.
A business owner on Herzl Street told Maariv:
The decision to lower parking prices for residents should not come at the expense of our customers, some of whom come from out of town and are already struggling to find parking here. Customers simply won't come.
Infrastructure Works and Struggling Businesses
This proposal comes during a complex period for Rehovot's transportation network. The city is currently undergoing extensive infrastructure and development projects, most notably the Metronit blue line project along Herzl Street, one of the city's primary commercial corridors. These works involve traffic changes, road closures, and parking restrictions.
As previously reported by Maariv, merchants along Herzl Street have been dealing with the fallout of these construction projects on their daily operations. Shop owners reported a drop in customer traffic and revenue, difficult store access, and disrupted commerce due to ongoing noise, dust, and heavy machinery.
The municipality is aware of the difficulties faced by businesses during this construction phase. In May, the city introduced a 2.5 million NIS assistance program for businesses along the Herzl corridor, which includes consulting, marketing initiatives, inquiry handling, and programs to stimulate commercial activity in the area.
How Do Neighboring Cities Compare?
A comparison of blue-and-white parking tariffs based on official municipal publications shows that Rehovot's proposed rate will be slightly higher than that of Rishon LeZion, where drivers without a resident sticker pay 6.40 NIS per hour. In Nes Ziona, the municipality lists a rate of 4.70 NIS per hour, while Bat Yam's municipal bylaws set the rate at 12 NIS per hour.
Municipality Aims to Ease Residents' Burden
Rehovot municipality frames the measure as part of a policy prioritizing city residents and reducing their expenses during the infrastructure overhaul. According to the municipality, the works are designed to upgrade the transportation system, renew infrastructure, and improve public spaces, though they inevitably disrupt daily routines.
About two years ago, following an initiative by Mayor Matan Dil, Rehovot residents were granted two hours of free daily parking in blue-and-white zones. This benefit is expected to remain in effect even if the new tariffs are approved. According to the municipality's website, the benefit is available to residents registered through parking mobile applications, though it does not apply in the Science Park, the Horowitz Park, or the area surrounding Kaplan Medical Center on Pasternak Street.
While city residents will continue to enjoy the two-hour perk and discounted rates thereafter, out-of-town visitors will not receive this relief and will be required to pay higher rates if the proposal is approved. At this stage, the measure is merely a proposed amendment to municipal bylaws and must be approved by the city council before taking effect. Until approval is finalized and administrative procedures are completed, current parking rates remain unchanged.
