No More Fishing for Quarters? City Parking May Go 21st Century

New York City officials hope new technology will bring street parking spaces into the 21st century – and a private company will shoulder the cost of doing it.

The city wants outside firms to consider bankrolling ideas like expanding multi-space muni-meters, using sensors to track available parking spaces or using mobile phones to pay for parking – so no driver would have to fish for quarters again.

A non-working parking meter in New York City. The "fail" message is an all too frequent occurrence on the city's older meters. June 16, 2010. flickr/NotoriousJen

The new systems would be expensive and possibly controversial. While city government could install next-generation parking systems itself, private investors would do it with their own money instead of city funds – and reap a share of the rewards for their own coffers.

Administration officials say New York would never give up its control over parking policy and meter rates, but are proceeding cautiously.

“This process is in a very preliminary stage, and it is unclear if any partnership will be executed,” said City Hall spokeswoman Julie Wood. “If one is, we will ensure that the city remains in control of core elements like the cost of city services.”

Read the full post at City Hall News.