Out-of-state fees resume Monday at Connecticut parks

Visitors to Connecticut state parks will need to again pay parking fees as of Monday.

The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection announced Friday that nonresident visitors will be charged parking fees at some parks, that number eventually growing to 22. A list can be found at the DEEP website.

The state has not collected these fees this season, except at three of the four shoreline state beaches, due to COVID-19 prevention measures and staffing limitations.

Anyone in a Connecticut-registered vehicle can park free of charge at all state parks and forests year-round through the Passport to the Parks program.

The new system will require visitors arriving in vehicles registered outside of Connecticut to purchase a parking pass online or by phone when they arrive at the park, according to a release. Signage at each park location will provide instructions on how to make their payment and complete the form to be placed on their vehicle’s dashboard to confirm payment.

The collection system will be tested at various locations throughout the week. Additional staff will be deployed to oversee initial implementation of this new system and assist visitors with its operation.

Park staff and DEEP Environmental Conservation officers will be able to view transaction logs to compare against parked vehicles. Failure to pay the required nonresident fee may result in a $75 ticket, according to the release.

For most parks using this system, the fee is $10 per day on weekdays and $15 per day for weekends and holidays. Squantz Pond and Silver Sands each require a fee of $15 per day on weekdays and $22 per day for weekends and holidays.

Nonresident visitors to shoreline...

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Out-of-state-fees-resume-Monday-at-Connecticut-15525511.php