Photo by Keeley Smith. 

Hold onto your steering wheel. That trip downtown got a little easier and a little cheaper today, courtesy of the city.

The City of Long Beach is in the midst of hosting free parking around 1st Street and Linden Avenue today, from 11:00AM to 3:00PM, as a means of raising awareness of their newest mobile parking application: EZparkLB. The app works to show you open parking spots downtown in real time.

Think: those colorful hoods all over parking meters throughout the downtown, signaling parking freedom.

“I think this app is significant because it’s the first parking application exclusive to Long Beach,” said Jennifer Carey from the Long Beach Department of Public Works. “I think it’s a big deal to Long Beach because we’re known for so many events. It’s good for the city and residents, and gives more exposure to parking that already exists.

Yes. It is time.

The official launch of EZ-P will occur this weekend, with more information to come.

SO – see you downtown, today, where the bountiful free parking spots await.