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The two public lots at Atlantic Boulevard and North Ocean Boulevard, the ones Pompano Beach drivers have counted on for a pier afternoon, sit on land owned by the developer of the W Pompano Beach Hotel & Residences. The city had been leasing them, and the New Pelican reported in February 2025 that together they held about 230 spaces. Those spaces are going away. Since Friday, October 2, the city has been running a free, on-demand Fishing Village Shuttle from City Hall and Old Town.
The city is paying to move people to the sand instead of finding them somewhere to park near it, and the money comes out of the parking system. For the next few years, a weekend at the pier will work best for people who leave their cars on the mainland.
What Disappeared, And What Comes Back
The lots are closing to make room for the W Pompano Beach, a 24-story hotel and condominium tower at 20 N. Ocean Blvd. from Related Group and BH Group. In March 2026, the Sun Sentinel reported that groundbreaking was estimated for October 2026. That date is an estimate, not a confirmed start. A 2025 report projected the tower would open in 2029.
Some public parking will return, but less of it. The developer told the New Pelican that the finished project’s garage would include 145 public spaces. That’s about 85 fewer than the roughly 230 the surface lots held, and the developer said parking on the site would likely be unavailable during construction. If the 2029 projection holds, that leaves several beach seasons with none of those spaces, followed by a permanent count that is smaller than before.
Neither the city’s announcement nor any other source found gives the exact last day the W lots took public cars. The city tied the shuttle directly to the closure and launched it on October 2.
The City’s Answer Is Paid For By Parking
The shuttle runs on a decision the City Commission made in June. According to TAPinto’s June 24, 2026 report, commissioners unanimously approved a $269,803 contract amendment with Circuit Transit Inc. That brought the city’s total contract cap with the company to $596,512. The expansion is paid for through the city’s Parking Enterprise Fund, and the city keeps 50% of any advertising revenue from wraps on the new pilot vehicles.
So the money drivers feed into meters on the barrier island helps pay for a ride that keeps other drivers off it. Jeff Lantz, the city’s parking operations manager, described the goal plainly:
“The goal of this expanded program is to reduce traffic and demand for parking on the barrier island.”
At the same hearing, commissioners noted that residents west of Federal Highway have long dealt with steep parking costs and gridlock near the water. Some also pointed out that a two-way service could bring beach visitors inland to Old Town and the Cultural Arts Center.
How A Shuttle Saturday Actually Works
The rules are narrower than a typical rideshare, and they decide how a beach day has to be planned.
- Check the day and time. The Fishing Village Shuttle runs Friday through Sunday and on holidays, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Know which group you’re in. If your home is inside the green zone on the city’s service map, you can request a ride from your door straight to the Fisher Family Pier and beach. If you live outside it, drive to one of two free Park & Ride lots, either City Hall at 100 W. Atlantic Blvd. or the Old Town lot at NE 2nd Street and NE 2nd Avenue.
- Request through the Ride Circuit app. It’s the same app the city’s existing Circuit service uses, available through the App Store.
- Bring the gear. The city says the vehicles fit beach chairs, bags and coolers. Wheelchair-accessible service is available, and the fleet has vehicles seating five, six and 15 passengers.
- Plan one trip each way. Rides go directly between the beach and your starting point. The city says the shuttle isn’t meant for trips between stops inside the expanded zone or within the beach area.
Step five is the one that shapes the day. A ride from the Old Town lot drops you at the pier and brings you back to the Old Town lot. It won’t run you from the sand to dinner somewhere else on the island. TAPinto described the green zone as reaching neighborhoods west of Federal Highway, inland as far as Dixie Highway, and including Old Town. The published map doesn’t list boundaries street by street, so check the map on the city’s Pompano Circuit page before assuming your block is covered.
What Driving To The Pier Costs Now
Driving to the beach is still allowed. With the W lots gone, the remaining public parking near the pier is split between two of the city’s beach zones. Zone 2 covers the Pier Garage and 16th Street North Ocean Park. Zone 3 covers the Beach Lot, Briny Avenue and Pompano Beach Boulevard. The Pier Garage at 3460 NE 3rd St. allows public parking on levels 2, 3 and 4 at the hourly rate.
These rates come from the city’s parking map dated February 2026. Rates can change, so confirm them on the posted signs or in the app.
| Hourly rate | Zone 2, Pier Garage area | Zone 3, Beach Lot and Pompano Beach Blvd. |
|---|---|---|
| Weekdays | $1.80 | $2.50 |
| Weekends | $2.50 | $3.25 |
| Holidays and events | $3.25 | $4.00 |
Under those February 2026 rates, a four-hour Saturday in Zone 3 costs $13.00. A city resident registered for the 20% PayByPhone discount would pay $10.40 for the same afternoon. The Park & Ride lots and the shuttle ride cost nothing.
A few details are easy to miss:
- The resident discount only works in PayByPhone. To register, you need a current utility bill or lease agreement. You can sign up at the Pier Garage office at 3460 NE 3rd Street or with the city’s online form, and you have to renew every year.
- Resident permits are suspended, according to the city’s parking FAQ. For now, the discount is the only resident parking benefit the city lists.
- Monthly hangtags are an option for frequent visitors. They cost $75 a month at the Oceanside Lot, 100 N. Riverside Drive. Pier Garage permits are $100 a month for the rooftop and $150 for levels 2 through 4.
- No beach parking is allowed from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m., and enforcement runs every day of the year.
Where The Shuttle Pays Off This Fall
Because one Park & Ride lot is in Old Town, the shuttle works best on days when the evening plan is inland. As the Pompano Beach Insider put it, both lots sit in the downtown core, so a beach afternoon can turn into an Old Town evening without moving the car twice.
- Old Town Untapped, Friday, November 6, 6 to 10 p.m. The Shane Duncan Band plays at Bailey Contemporary Arts, 41 NE 1st St.
The holiday rule matters later in the season. The shuttle runs on holidays, which is also when the Zone 3 rate goes to $4.00 an hour.
What The City Is Still Measuring
The shuttle is a weekend pilot, and the city hasn’t said how long it will run or whether weekday service could follow. Lantz told commissioners that city staff will review monthly reports on wait times and where riders start their trips. Those reports will help decide whether a phase three reaches farther into western Pompano Beach. No post-launch rider numbers had been published as of early October. The figures that will shape the service, wait times and starting points, will come from the trips residents take this fall.
Questions about the service go to Sandra King, the city’s Strategic Communications Administrator, at 954-786-4527. The full service map is on the city’s Pompano Circuit page.
The W tower will change what it takes to get to the pier for years, and how close you are to the beach now depends partly on which side of the green-zone line your street falls. If you’d like to know what that means for a home you own or are considering in Pompano Beach, Patti Davila PA can go through it with you in multiple languages. Schedule your concierge consultation.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
Get in Touch — Email pdhomes4sale@icloud.com, Phone (954) 821-0257, Phone (954) 776-5400, Address 3010 E Commercial Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308.
