POLL: Do You Support Medford's New Pay-to-Park Program?

Photo: One of the new parking kiosks in West Medford. Credit: John Waller.

Medford’s new pay-to-park program in the city’s business districts starts Thursday, Jan. 15.

The city, via its contractor Republic Parking System, will begin enforcing residential permit parking Monday, Jan. 26.

The new program has come under fire at recent Medford City Council meetings from local business owners, residents and, most notably, City Councillor Robert Penta.

On Tuesday, Penta said he’d be in favor of paying the nearly $1 million get-out fee to Republic to get rid of the program altogether. “This wasn’t vetted out properly,” he said.

West Medford business owners said they’ve already seen a slight drop off in business since the kiosks were installed. DJ Dabenigno of Dabbs Lock said, once live, he fears the pay-to-park program will do “irreversible damage” in the “blink of an eye.”

Dabenigno also raised the issue of certain businesses having the kiosks, while others, not in the designated business districts, still having free parking.

The city’s new parking website, www.parkmedford.org, has complete details of the program. In general, the kiosks/meters will be enforced from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and parking will be 25 cents per 15 minutes. Violators will receive a $25 ticket – however, for the first month, a warning will be given for first offenses, according to a representative from Republic.

Discuss the new pay-to-park program in the comments below.