No Parking at New Bethesda Post Office
New location at 6900 Wisconsin Avenue has been open for about a week, but patrons worry about the lack of convenient parking.
A new downtown Bethesda post office has opened up on Wisconsin Avenue, but there’s just one problem – there’s no parking.
The United States Postal Service is closing the two downtown Bethesda post offices at 7001 Arlington Road and 7400 Wisconsin Avenue and consolidating them at the new location at 6900 Wisconsin Avenue. The consolidation is part of a nationwide effort by USPS to consolidate or close post offices to help face declining revenues.
USPS first announced their consolidation plan at a community meeting last July, saying they were on the hunt for a central, downtown location with parking.
Residents also drove home the importance of keeping the new post office in a location accessible to Metro and bus transit.
While the new location, across the street from Trader Joe’s, is in walking distance to the Bethesda Metro station, there’s no dedicated parking at the site right now, said Dennis Perry, a real estate specialist for the USPS eastern facilities service office.
“We do not have parking at the present time,” Perry told Patch. “We’re working on trying to secure something. It’s an issue.”
USPS had hoped to sublease parking from a commercial tenant next door, but that plan hasn’t materialized, Perry said. The new location has been open for about a week, Perry said.
Patrons who park in the commercial lot next door to the new post office are subject to being towed, according to the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center. Officials are advising postal patrons to park in the lot beneath the Staples, PetSmart and CVS as an alternative.
“I like the other location better because of the parking,” said Jim McElroy, who stopped by the new location Monday.
McElroy said he’s maintained a P.O. box at the Bethesda post office for years, which he said would be difficult in the future without convenient parking at the new location.
U.S. Rep. Christopher Van Hollen (D) is working with USPS on a solution, according to the Regional Services Center.
Esther D
8:58 pm on Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Did you happen to remember where the other one was? On the corner of EastWest (410) and Wisconsin Avenue. Where was the parking there? Not at the Hyatt, not at the Police Station across the road nor at Tommy Joes. You still had to walk to the old one.
Perhaps you can park at the Trader Joes Parking lot and walk over.
Michael Shapiro
10:33 am on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
There was plenty of parking at the Arlington Road facility. If you park at the Trader Joe's lot and walk to the USPS facility, you are abusing the limited parking in the area.
Native
10:33 am on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
There was parking at the old Post Office at Wisconsin and Montgomery. There were a few spaces in a lot behind the Post Office on the property. The old Post Office was a cool old semi-funky building. Unfortunately, bums would sleep overnight in the PO Box area and sometimes it reeked. The new space is new, clean, not as convenient and has no parking.
Erin Donaghue
2:44 pm on Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Has anyone been to the new post office? What do you think of the new location? Did you have trouble parking?
JTS53
10:33 am on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
No parking? Are you kidding? One more indication why the USPS is an anachronism and has no concept of customer service.
kmcorazzini
10:33 am on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
The new post office is certainly not an option for the handicapped.