Parking Authority To Get Smart Parking Meters

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Parking meters in Pittsburgh are supposed to charge higher rates effective June 1, but it won't happen that fast.

Officials say it will take a week to 10 days to adjust all the meters in the city to the higher rates.

First on the list are meters in downtown Pittsburgh. Until the rates are adjusted upward at each of the meters, you get to pay the old rate.

"As we change them over, we'll apply a sticker just to grab the customer's attention that a rate has occurred," David Onorato, head of the Pittsburgh Parking Authority, said.

Look for enforcement to ramp up too, especially since free parking ends at 10 p.m., not 6 p.m. in many areas.

"We'll start looking to see where we are deficient in enforcement officers," Onorato said. "We're going to need additional bodies there also because of the extended hours of coverage."

There will be another change since it will take 12 quarters for one hour of downtown parking.

"We need to upgrade our technology to match these rates, to make it more efficient and convenient for the end user, where they have the ability to use a credit card other than quarters only," Onorato said.

Look for smart meters as early as this fall.

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