Whitefish City Council Oct. 3 approved a no parking zone for the section of East First Street that is closest to the city’s under construction parking garage.

City Manager Chuck Stearns said a traffic impact analysis for the effects of the parking structure recommended the change.

“The street will see increased traffic for access to the parking garage,” he said. “There is a lot of street congestion there at Baker Avenue.”

Cars will enter and exit the parking structure from East First Street.

Only about four to six parking spaces will be lost with the change, Stearns noted, when the street re-opens next spring.

The no parking zone will run on East First Street for about a half-block from Baker Avenue east to the alley.

The change will allow for three lanes of traffic on the street. Two of those lanes will be turn lanes from East First Street westbound onto Baker Avenue.

Construction on the parking garage and City Hall is expected to be complete next spring.