LEWES, Del. - While paid parking has ended for most Delaware beach towns, it’s still in effect in Lewes, both downtown and at the beach.
In Rehoboth Beach, Dewey Beach, Bethany Beach and Fenwick Island, paid parking season runs from May 15 through Sept. 15. However, in Lewes, parking enforcement continues later into the fall.
Downtown Lewes maintains parking fees of $1.50 per hour through October 14. Meanwhile, parking near the beach remains $2.50 per hour through Sept. 30.
Some visitors, like Dominic Beningo, say they don’t mind paying if the money is put to good use.
“If it’s going to a good place, if it’s for cleanup or better security or what have you, I think it’s okay,” Beningo said.
Others, like Lewes local Lew Ward, argue the extended schedule could drive visitors and revenue to other towns with shorter parking seasons.
“I think it’s depleting some revenue from the shops in Lewes,” Ward said. “If they’re going to go to Dewey for the two weeks in September or Rehoboth, they’re getting the revenue and not Lewes.”
A parking ticket at the beach in Lewes will cost you $40, according to one parking enforcement official.