News Release

The National Park Service Seeks Public Comment on Automated Fee Machine and Proposed Parking Fee

Date: May 30, 2024
Contact: Tyler Teuscher
Contact: Gabriel Laurencin

St. Croix, US Virgin Islands – The National Park Service seeks public comments on the reimplementation of a daily parking fee at the Christiansted National Historic Site visitor parking lot.   

The Christiansted National Historic Site has offered free parking for almost a decade. From the early 2000s to 2010, parking fees were collected at the Christiansted National Historic Site. After internal restructure and staff shortages in 2009, Christiansted National Historic Site paused the collection of parking fees. 

After a Regional review in April of 2022, the National Park Service found that the cost of maintenance and economic inflation has created a financial challenge in maintaining the parking lot. Charging a fee to park at the lot allows the National Park Service to streamline operations by improving efficiency and availability to park visitors. The automated fee machine allows visitors a contact less payment option reducing the cost of operation to the National Park Service.    

The proposed parking fee will allow the National Park Service to invest and make improvements to the parking lot and more importantly the rehabilitation of the historic structures within Christiansted National Historic Site.   

The collected revenue will also go towards improving the overall security of park visitors within Christiansted National Historic Site.    
“The current Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (FLREA) allows the National Park Service to collect and retain revenue and requires that fee revenue is used to enhance visitor experience. At least 80 percent of funding from recreation fees stays in the park where it is collected, and the other 20 percent is used to benefit parks that do not collect fees or parks which generate only a small amount of revenue.”  

The National Park Service would like to hear from everyone on the proposed matter. From June 6, 2024, through July 6, 2024, you can make your comments heard.  

Where to submit your comments? 

Email: e-mail us  

Mail: 2100 Church ST #100 Christiansted VI 00820 

Call: Tuesday and Thursday from 9:30AM -11:30AM 340-713-1460  

Each visitor holds an important role in the management of Christiansted National Historic Site. Visitors’ comments contribute to the planning and decision making of the National Park Service. Public scrutiny of proposed actions helps to ensure that these actions are consistent with the National Park Service mission, enabling legislation, and other relevant laws and policies.  

Any comment can make a difference. 

What difference does your comment make?  After reviewing the comments made the National Park Service may; 

• Consider alternative approaches and ideas for accomplishing goals. 
• The range of environmental and socioeconomic issues that need to be considered. 
• Potential projects that might affect or be affected by this project. 
• Identify information that needs to be considered (such as related research) and why. 
• Identify information on how visitors use the park and how the project might affect that use.

Thank you all, and we look forward to hearing from you.