This new parking meter plan sounds like a good idea, with these caveats...
Are prices of parking going up? Seems like a motivation to charge more for parking. Some meters are $.25 for an hour; some are $.25 for 5 minutes. Also, now the City of Chicago is going to have credit card data on everyone who uses the meters (and also, the whole micro-payment thing - like the Apple iTunes store - is really taking off), what are they planning to do with it?
From the Trib:
The city has begun removing 1,000 parking meters from downtown streets, replacing them with 100 "pay and display" boxes positioned in the middle of each block.Motorists will deposit coins or use credit cards at the solar-powered boxes, which will print receipts for display on car dashboards. More than 500 signs are being erected to make drivers aware of the change, and city "greeters" will be on duty for the first few days after the new devices are installed to help people use them.
Besides providing for multiple payment options and ridding streets of the clutter of meters, the new system will create more parking by eliminating one-size-fits-all spaces, officials said.
We work at a Medical Center in Chicago on 26th street and it makes it very difficult to have to run out every 2 hours to feed the meter especially when we are with a patients. I heard that we would be able to feed the meter via the computer. I would love to be able to purchase a monthly permit or quarterly to pay the meter without going out in the snow, rain any weather and especially when we are with our patients.
Please let us know what is being planned for 26th street and all those meters.
Thanks,
Ehlma