New parking meters will change the way you pay
Pay stations offer credit card options, full
use of paid parking time
(June 22, 2012) - In 1935, the world’s
first parking meter was installed in Oklahoma City. Seventy-seven years
later, Oklahoma City will see a more advanced model of parking meters
installed downtown as a part of Project 180.
With the addition of more than 600
on-street parking spots resulting from downtown street renovations, the
Central Oklahoma Transportation and Parking Authority and Project 180
decided to retire the old coin meter for a more advanced “pay station” in
the newly streetscaped area. The installation of new meters will
continue through 2014 when the final Project 180 construction package is
completed.
“As
part of the changes resulting from Project 180, we were looking for ways to
clean up the streets and de-clutter the sidewalks,” said Debi Holtzclaw,
parking manager for the Central Oklahoma Transportation and Parking
Authority. “We chose a digital meter because the older mechanical meters do
not accept credit cards and manufacturers are no longer making parts to
repair them.”
As many as 125 multi-space,
solar-powered pay stations that accept U.S. coins or debit/credit cards will be installed in
phases throughout the summer. The first phase of pay stations is
currently being installed around the Myriad Gardens on Reno, Robinson and
Hudson streets with on-going installations every two weeks. The first phase
of meters is expected to go live Monday, July 16.
“The meters are very easy to use, but it does require a change in habit,”
Holtzclaw said. “Users either choose U.S. coins or accepted credit/debit
cards to enter their time,
print a receipt and put the receipt on the front driver’s side windshield of
their car. The receipt must be visible to avoid a parking violation.”
If the purchaser of parking returns to
their vehicle before their chosen time has expired, they will be able to
leave the receipt on the driver side windshield and move their vehicle to any other
curbside parking space - that uses the new meter - without having to pay again.
“You’re now paying for time, not for a specific space,” Holtzclaw said.
“Users of curbside parking downtown will no longer have to leave un-used
time for the next driver; they can take it with them.” Remaining time may
only be
used in the newly metered zones prior to its expiration.
The pay stations are easily accessible
and are located no more than five car lengths most parking spaces. There is a minimum of 75 cents for 30-minute parking
in either one hour ($1.50/max) or two hour zones ($3/max). Parking zones are
easily identifiable by color. One hour meters feature a blue cap and
two hour meters feature an orange cap. On-street parking is strictly
enforced 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday except public holidays.
For more information about downtown
parking or the new pay stations, visit parkingokc.com or call 297-1331.
Project 180,
is a four year, $160 million redesign of downtown streets, sidewalks, parks
and plazas to improve appearance and make the central core more pedestrian
friendly. Plans call for the addition of landscaping, public art, marked
bike lanes, decorative street lighting and additional on-street parking
spaces.
The improvements are paid for through Tax
Increment Financing (TIF) District 8 from construction of the Devon Tower ($105 million). General Obligation Bonds passed in the 2007 bond election ($40M)
and the Oklahoma City Water Utilities Trust ($11M).
Visit
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/mnw6qb44ho4tab8/RPVorjkUx4 to access photos
of the new meters, as well as, graphics of the instruction panels.
Media Contact: Michael
Scroggins, Public Information Officer
Office: (405) 297-2107 Mobile: (405) 837-9510
michael.scroggins@okc.gov
