City Phasing Out Coin Parking Meters

The quadrupling of fees this year to park at most meters in Chicago marks only the beginning of changes coming to a curbside near your car.
[...]
You can of course bid a nostalgic farewell to the decades-old pole-mounted meters with coin slots and expiration flags, as a result of the almost $1.2 billion deal Mayor Richard Daley announced last month to outsource parking management in the city over the next 75 years to Chicago Parking Meters LLC.

While city officials said it's too early to chart a specific timetable, drivers will be able more than ever to use credit cards and other payment forms instead of fumbling for coins as hourly meter rates rise to the equivalent of a restaurant hamburger.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[cnobody]

awesome. I, for one, am looking forward to the "quadrupling" of parking fares. Instead of popping a quarter in the meter to go check out a sale I saw as I was driving down the street, I'll be parking, then paying $1 at the meter station, then going back to my car, then checking out the sale I saw. Or, I can just keep driving, which is the more likely scenario.
Welcome to the future, where fewer and fewer of our streets allow "free" parking and a good chunk of those that do are "permit parking only." it's an adventure!!!

[iPolitics]

about time

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

Already in NYC. Some observations:

Better wear your track shoes. You have to park. Then run to the dispenser. Then run back to your car to put the slip on the dashboard. All before the meter maids nail ya.

Rates can be varied by time-of-day, if they want. Peak vs. Off-Peak.

Also, note that you used to be able to piggy-back on someone else's left-over time. No more.

Also, note that if you topped off your own meter, you got the full increment. Now you need a new ticket, and lose the overlap.

On the other hand... you can buy a ticket on a lower $/hr block, and park on a HIGHER $/hr block (as long as the meter maids don't check ID# on purchase location).

Ticket forging can't be far off.

[amdezurik]

what "outsourcing" this really means is you are assumed guilty, have no recourse to contest a ticket and it is only to help collect what is in effect a tax on drivers without having to SAY it is a tax. And the 'tax" will be only what the company TELLS Chicago it is.

[AZterritory]

Yep, it's happening in Phoenix, too. And instead of ending the meter rate at 5pm then free (to encourage people to come to a DEAD DEAD DEAD downtown area), they'll charge until 8pm. So if you DO decide to attend symphony or go to a restaurant, you'll be running out to feed the meter. . . that just makes so much sense to me and others that they plan to stay away in droves.