Need a ride home on New Year's Eve? Try these programs, and don't drink and drive

Ringing in the New Year can be a fun time and the Anchorage Police Department also wants it to be a safe time.

Downtown is one of the places to be during the New Year’s celebration and APD wants to make sure everyone has a safe time celebrating and gets home safely.

The impaired driving enforcement units will be out in full force running extra patrols with their sole purpose being to identify impaired drivers.

APD says intoxicated drivers are one of their number one concerns tonight and they encourage folks to get a safe ride home.

Rick Steiding, a Sergeant with the APD Traffic Unit says, “We understand that people are going to be out there they are going to be drinking what we would like is for them to take advantage of some of the programs that are out there, taking a taxi, having a designated driver and by a designated driver, somebody who does not drink, not somebody who drinks a little at the beginning because buzzed driving is drunk driving."

EasyPark, the city's parking authority, has special downtown parking rates through New Year's Day for those who aren't sober enough to drive home New Year's Eve.

Aside from Uber, Lyft and a taxi there are other programs to get you home safely including AAA's Tipsy Tow and the Off the Road program. Contact information for those programs is below.

1-800-AAA-HELP (1-800-222-4357)

Available between 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 31 through 6 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 1

Provided by Alaska Hospitality Retailers

Ask the licensed establishment you're at to call the program to request service. Two licensed chauffers arrive. One taxi driver takes the patron home, and the other follows in the patron's vehicle.

Available from Rabbit Creek Road to Fort Richardson from 10 a.m. to 3 a.m.

If you don't mind leaving your car downtown overnight, EasyPark has special event rate parking. From 8 p.m. Monday, Dec. 31 through 6 a.m. January 2 -- yes, that's the second day of the year, park free in EasyPark garages.

For the JCPenney Garage at 6th Ave and the 7th Ave. EasyPark garage, park all night for $5.

For the EasyPark 5th Ave. garage, pay just $3.

EasyPark meters are free on New Year's Day.