No more free street parking in downtown Salem starting July 10

Motorists will have to pay to park on downtown Salem streets starting on July 10.

The new system will bring an end to around 50 years of free downtown street parking. Free parking is currently allowed for three hours at a time at 1,106 street spaces.

Now, meter stations will allow paid parking for up to 12 hours at a time Monday through Saturday. Short-term parking in city-owned downtown garages will remain free. Those parkades…