Posted by John Byrne at 3:07 p.m.
Street parking will get slightly tougher to find around U.S. Cellular Field under a City Council plan to expand special permit parking areas on game days.
The council’s Traffic Committee today approved an ordinance by Ald. Pat Dowell, 3rd, to extend the "Comiskey Park area parking permit program" several blocks to the south and east of the ballpark.
Under Dowell’s plan, which will next head to the full City Council for approval, the special parking zone will be enlarged by two areas of about four square blocks each.
One area would be bordered by Pershing Road, Wentworth Avenue, Princeton Avenue and 37th Street.
The other would be bounded by 37th Street, Wentworth, Dearborn Street and 35th Street.
Street parking would remain open on both Pershing and 35th, according to the ordinance.
Dowell said residents of new housing developments near the ballpark want to be able to park in front of their homes on game days.
The parking restrictions around the Cell begin three hours before first pitch and end three hours after last pitch. They also are in effect for concerts and other events at the ballpark.