BATON ROUGE - Parking in the Perkins Road Overpass area is a point of contention, as some business and property owners are taking matters into their own hands by contracting with towing companies to keep watch.

One business owner tells 2 On Your Side that it's not their responsibility to provide other businesses parking and it creates a liability issue after hours. While the businesses don't profit from tows, the enforcement helps keep their properties clean and clear for patrons.

Several people have been booted and towed recently for parking at businesses they weren't visiting. It can set car owners back at least $200.

Owner of Zippy's Neal Hendrick says it started this past weekend and several of his customers were booted. He's warning his customers ahead of a busy Cinco de Mayo weekend.

"Please park in our lot, the lots around us booting are clearly defined so make sure you don't make a mistake and park in their lot," said Hendrick.

The Perkins Road Overpass area is a busy centrally located shopping and dining area. It has grocery, coffee, drinks, food and retail. It's so busy that sometimes it's a struggle to people to find parking.

Misti and Brumby Broussard, owners of BLDG 5 say it's not a secret that sometimes it's a struggle to find parking.

"I think we all are very aware, especially those of us here at BLDG 5, about the challenges this neighborhood faces with parking," said Misti Broussard.

The parking along Kalurah Street was recently reconfigured with the opening of the Colonel's Club and a group of investors who opened a paid parking lot. Mi Mi Bankston is one of those investors and says she wants the Perkins Road area to thrive and doesn't want to see any local businesses suffer from the I-10 expansion project.

"Parking is going to be a continued need until DOTD can give us more information," said Bankston.

Parking in the lot at the end of Kalurah Street near Bet-R costs about $5.50 for two hours and can be paid for by scanning a QR code with your phone. Park in the paid lot and decide where to go. 

"We think it's great for the neighborhood," said Misti Broussard.

DOTD says work along the interstate in the Perkins Road Overpass area won't start until 2030. Access to some parking under the interstate could temporarily change in 2027 when crews tie new eastbound lanes to the Perkins Road exit ramp.

"We just need to know how to plan and I think DOTD and the city have a huge responsibility in making sure they preserve and protect these areas where improvements are happening," said Broussard.

Before the interstate work arrives, the Perkins Underpass Revitalization Project, which is funded, could get started with construction in late July or early August 2025. It will improve connectivity between neighborhoods where people can bike and walk safely. The project also adds parking. BLDG 5 and the Broussard's are supporters of the project.

"There's connectedness to it, there's safety to it, and overall there's improvement for the city.

Parking in the area remains a tough subject as businesses and property owners work to protect their property and parking spaces for customers.

The start of construction for the Perkins Underpass Revitalization Project hinges on work that needs to be completed by Entergy. The city says it hasn't received a start date for that work yet.