Does anyone have a few suggestions on where one could safely (and cheaply or free) park a car in Pittsburgh for 7-10 days while biking the Great Allegheny Passage to DC and then taking the Amtrak back (which arrives at midnight)? TY.
That train coming back at midnight sucks.
I am assuming the trail at the end swineburn end
of the Eliza furnace allows you to park there for
a week, and it wouldnt be a bad ride from the
train station by bike or taxi.
I am not sure who you would call to make sure.
Pittsburgh parking authority?
I've noticed some broken car window glass in the lot during my commute recently.
Just sayin'.
The parking lot at Swinburne St is not for overnight parking (the signs say so) and, yes, there is evidence of occasional vandalism. I wouldn't recommend parking there for a week.
Cheap options. . . don't have any "official" ones. Everywhere you go someone is going to want to charge you the regular daily rate. The Second Avenue lot next to the jail is one of the cheapest in town at $5 a day.
But, here's the possible trick:
They take that money when you park in the morning. There is no attendant in the evening. Also, because it's the jail parking, there are always cars parked by the jail and people coming and going on a regular basis. It's as close to secure as you get and you could take a chance and try parking amongst the jail guards and get away with paying only $5 for the week.
That is, if you don't get towed. I believe that possibility is low but it is there. If I were to do it (and I'm not saying you should), I would not arrive with the bike so as not to lead the attendant to suspect that I am using their lot as long term parking. Or I would arrive late in the day when there is no attendant at all.
Just sayin'
I have to agree with the Swinburne weariness. I pulled in early one Sunday afternoon for a ride and there were 3 other cars in the parking lot... One was a policeman taking a report from the owner of one of the other vehicles which had just been broken into. If they're that brazen during broad daylight I'd hate to see that lot at night.
