City to Launch Credit Card Parking Meters

Pretty soon the city's coin operated parking meters could go by the way of the pay phone if a pilot program of credit card meters goes well.

The Parking Committee is scheduled to discuss placing 30 credit card parking meters in different locations downtown for a 90-day trial period to see how they perform, according to City Councilor Ken Smith, who chairs the committee.

Smith said the city Parking Department staff will present this proposal to the committee at City Hall to replace the coin operated meter heads with meters that can accept credit cards or coins.

"The idea is that these old meter heads are getting old and they are getting very expensive to maintain because they don't make the parts for them anywhere," Smith said Tuesday.

The city has 204 coin-operated parking meters that run for either two- to four hours. The pilot program will cost $642.50 and 13 cents per credit card card transaction.

The new meters are also solar powered and do not run on older batteries. They are also PSI-DSS certified, Smith said.

The trial meters will be installed on Daniel Street, Penhallow Street to Market Square and Daniel Street to Bow Street. Smith said those locations should catch the most sunlight during the daytime to power the meters.