New Smart Parking Meters Downtown and Parking App
The City of Orlando has begun installing the new smart parking meters downtown
The new smart parking meters downtown will be able to accept credit cards and eventually will allow drivers to add time and get updates via an app. The existing meters at the 1,000 spaces downtown are being swapped out with the new smart meters this month. As the new smart parking meters downtown are installed they will go live and allow for credit card payments.
Once all of the new smart parking meters downtown are in, the city will install sensors that will be used to determine if there is a vehicle in the spot. At that point, around the end of January, users will be able to use an app to add time to their meter and get notifications about when their meter time is expiring.
Once the sensors go live, if a spot is limited to a two-hour time limit, you will not be able to add more than two hours to that meter without the vehicle leaving. If a meter still has time on it and the vehicle pulls out, the meter will reset to zero. The city will have the ability to change the meter pricing in the future based on day, time, location or special events. Any changes however would still need to go before City Council. At this point the meters will stay $1/hr Monday through Saturday 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
The City’s New Parking App, ParkMe
Finding parking in downtown is expected to become much easier with one of the City’s new parking apps. ParkMe will pinpoint available parking on its mobile application. The app will use the new smart meter sensors to track on-street availability. Once the meters and sensors have been installed at each of the 1,000 spaces the mobile application will go live.
ParkMe currently provides limited pricing information on some lots and garages downtown. A second application, ParkMobile will also be available to pay for parking from your phone.
Sources: “City begins installing smart meters downtown” and “Orlando plans to use ParkMe app with new smart meters,” Bungalower