Enforcement of changes to some of the town of Quantico’s parking rules and speed limits has been delayed but is expected to begin around March 1.

In August, the town lowered the speed limit on its residential roads — those other than Potomac Avenue and River Road — from 25 to 15 mph. It also designated its residential streets as official residential zones, enabling an additional $200 fine to be added to speeding fees, and it limited parking on residential streets to residents only.

However, Mayor Kevin Brown said, although the changes have technically taken effect, the town wants to make sure everyone is aware of them before enforcement begins. New speed limit signs have been installed, but he said more are needed, as well as signs warning of the additional speeding fine and resident-only parking on residential roads.

“For enforcement purposes, we want to make sure every single sign is installed before they start issuing tickets and running radar,” he said, adding that police would probably begin by issuing warnings. “We’re not trying to play a game of ‘gotcha’ with anyone.”

When enforcement begins, the fine for parking in a residential zone will be $25, the same as the ticket for parking at an expired meter.

Brown noted that there will still be unmetered parking along the far end of Potomac Avenue, as well as on 5th Avenue.

“We’re just trying to manage a very difficult parking situation,” he said. “I understand it’s going to be inconvenient for some folks, and some people are going to have some heartburn about that.”

But he said all the changes are efforts to balance residents’ safety and parking with the need to remain an easy place to visit and do business. “We understand that business from the base is really kind of our lifeblood down here.”

One new convenience the town is offering is the option to buy an annual visitor’s parking pass. The passes, which are already available, cost $60, a number that Brown and the Town Council arrived at by adding up a quarter per workday over the duration of a year and then subtracting a few dollars. A quarter buys half an hour in a metered spot.

One form of enforcement that was stepped up in August was that of the town’s parking meters, and Brown said the town will offer anyone who gets a ticket the option of paying the difference for an annual pass.

“They can choose to pay for the $60 parking pass in lieu of the ticket and then they wouldn’t have to worry about it for the rest of the year,” he said.

Especially since parking tickets double to $50 after five days, he said, some people will likely take that alternative.

However, he said the town is also considering extending the deadline to pay tickets.

“I think the general consensus is, [it’s] a little aggressive,” he said of the five-day deadline.

When meter enforcement ramped up, both the citations issued and meter collections rose, Brown said. But he said the number of tickets doesn’t appear to have dropped off much since.

“It appears that people either pay the meters or they don’t,” he said.

He noted that the number of complaints about tickets has also increased.

However, the town relies on meter collections and tickets for about 20 percent of its budget.

“We want ease of commerce in town, but we also need the revenue,” Brown said.

— Writer: mdicicco@quanticosentryonline.com