Free street parking, SEPTA rides planned Tuesday for a big sports night in South Philly

Tuesday will bring free subway rides on the Broad Street Line and free street parking around the city in anticipation of a massive night for sports in Philadelphia.

Starting at 5 p.m., the Philadelphia Parking Authority will drop the fees for street parking at kiosks citywide, and free parking will be available at all PPA Regional Rail parking lots. Additionally, the authority will be offering $5 flat-rate parking at several Center City garages.

Those changes will remain in effect until 7 a.m. Wednesday.

“In good times and bad, Philadelphians have always stuck together and helped each other out,” PPA executive director Rich Lazer said in a statement. “In the tradition of helping where and when we can, the PPA joins the city in celebrating our sports teams and will provide free and discounted parking [on] Tuesday.”

Also starting at 5 p.m. Tuesday, SEPTA will offer free Broad Street Line rides to and from NRG Station in a promotion sponsored by Budweiser and Bud Light. Rides will remain free until the final train of the night.

Free subway rides and free parking are being offered in an attempt to mitigate traffic around the South Philadelphia sports complex, which will host three large sports events Tuesday night. Starting at 6 p.m. at the Wells Fargo Center, the Flyers will face off against the Vancouver Canucks, followed by an 8 p.m. soccer match between Mexico and Germany at Lincoln Financial Field. And at 8:07 p.m., the Phillies will take on the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series at Citizens Bank Park.

Sports complex venue officials said in a statement that due to the number of games planned Tuesday, fans are strongly encouraged to arrive early and take public transportation to and from the area.

For folks looking to park in Center City, the following garages will offer $5 flat rate parking:

A number of parking companies will offer discounts at area lots and garages. SP+, for example, will offer $10 parking for up to 12 hours starting at 2 p.m. at three locations: Broad and Vine Streets, Eighth and Market Streets, and 733 Chestnut St. And LAZ Parking will have $10 parking starting at 4 p.m. at Wanamaker Garage (1301 Chestnut St.) and Constitution Health Plaza Garage (1930 S. Broad St.).

Philadelphia, a recent study found, has some of the country’s most expensive private parking lots and garages, with an average monthly parking rate of $250.

“The parking industry [in Philadelphia] is probably the highest taxed industry maybe in the state, and maybe in the country,” Robert Zuritsky, president and chief executive officer of parking company Parkway Corp., told The Inquirer last month.