Katy area commuters are increasingly taking advantage of METRO's Park and Ride lots, according to Margaret O'Brien Molina with the Metropolitan Transit Authority.

There are three Park and Ride lots in the greater Katy area, all located along I-10, one at Addicks, another at the Grand Parkway and a third at Kingsland Avenue. Area residents have been increasingly taking advantage of these lots over the past year. At this time in 2013, there were 3,911 cars parked in Katy's lots on METRO's vehicle count days. This year, the number has risen to 4,465, a 14.2 percent increase, Molina said.

Bus ridership from the Katy Park and Rides has risen as well. Between October 2013 and March 2014, an average of 7,777 riders took METRO buses from the three Katy area Park and Ride lots each day. This represents a seven percent increase in METRO riders from Katy over the last year.

At the same time that Katy's use of the Park and Ride system is growing, METRO is discussing whether to charge drivers to use some of its Park and Ride lots. There are no specific plans, however, to begin implementing parking fees in any of Katy's three lots at this time.

"A presentation on parking charges is scheduled for the Capital Programs Committee in May," said Margaret O'Brien Molina with METRO. "This presentation frames over-all issues regarding charges for parking. It does not focus specifically on Katy."

Currently, only two METRO Park and Rides charge a fee for parking. The Fannin lot charges drivers $3 a day, though the price jumps on special event days. Special event parking costs $15, except during the Rodeo, when it costs $20. The Cypress Park and Ride charges $2 for entry to garage before 9 a.m., though the fee is waived for bus riders, registered vanpool riders and residents of the adjoining apartment complex.