PARKING METERS

PARKING METERS. The parking meter was designed to keep traffic moving and make more spaces available for shoppers. Beginning with the first parking meter, installed in 1935 on the corner of First Street and Robinson Avenue in Oklahoma City, the device was championed as the great solution to parking problems. Decades of poor meter implementation, off-street parking requirements, and lack of technological improvement slowly city streets into a nightmare. Parking covers more of urban America than any other single-use space, yet the vast majority of meters are outdated, coin-only devices, charging a flat-rate during operating hours across all zones. The price of most curb parking has not increased; adjusted for inflation, 5 cents in 1935 was worth 65 cents in 2004, less than the price of parking for an hour at many meters in 2004. (1)

The use of parking meters in downtown Dubuque was first discussed by the city council in July 1, 1946. A three member citizens' advisory committee on parking chaired by Frank R. KERRIGAN appeared before the council for a long discussion of the parking issues. (2) The Parking Committee did not want to make any suggestions about the installation until a survey was made by the Bureau of publlic Affairs of the State University of Iowa. (3) At the end of the discussion, the council appeared ready to install some meters on Main between 6th and 10th streets on a trial basis.

City manager Albin Anton RHOMBERG was directed to go ahead with the necessary selection of the type of meter and the sites for installation in the business district. It was not necessary to call for bids on the work as there was no initial expense required by the city. The company selected to make the installations would install the meters and then take 75% of the receipts each month until all purchase and installation costs had been met. The company would then split the monthly receipts with the city on a 50-50 basis. Meters then in use were operated on the basis of five cents for a full hour of parking or one cent for each twelve minutes. The initial installation was planned to be 300 meters. (4)

The "tiger eyes," the small glass openings through which coins were visible in parking meters proved too much for vandals. In September, 1951 vandals tried to break the "eyes" in an attempt to steal the coins. Police warned that anyone caught would be prosecuted. (5)

In 1952 the first parking meters on the right side of the road as the motorist faced west was removed on Main, Locust and Iowa streets. This was to furnish a free 10 minute parking spot for people wishing to carry out brief business. (6)

Improvements in parking by 1963 included the installation of "piggy-back" parking meters that allowed parking without backing up. This type of parking did not impede traffic flow according to city officials. (7)

Parking meter cash cards were no longer available for purchase or to add money beginning November 1, 2016. If there was a balance on the card, it could be used until the balance was eliminated. (8)

In 2018 customers could use their mobile phones to pay parking at all 2,000 City of Dubuque parking meters using the PassportParking Mobile Pay system. Customers could register for the program from their phone by either downloading the mobile app at www.ppark.com/park or call 608-678-3848. After being registered, customers could use the mobile app, the internet or a phone call to that number to pay for parking. (9)

In September, 2018 the announcement was made that the city of Dubuque would soon test out 11 smart meters in downtown Dubuque as part of its effort to replace parking meters.

Transportation Services Director Candace Eudaley-Loebach said replacing the existing meters was part of the city's five year capital improvement plan. She reported that the current meters were hard to maintain and even out of date. They still ran on batteries that must be replaced daily and they did not gather data that can tell city staff anything about usage.

           "We don’t have data on vacancy rates, usage rates, or
            how much revenue a meter generates," "We also don’t 
            have the ability to know when the canister inside is 
            full, so we empty every single one. Even if it’s empty 
            we open it up and have to do that all the time.”

Eudaley-Loebach requested the city council's approval for a 30 day trial period with Sentry smart meters because it was free and the city would get to keep the revenue generated during the pilot. (10)

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Source:

1. Eveleth, Rose, "Parking Meters, Originally Meant to Keep Traffic Moving, Need an Update," Smithsonian.com. Online: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/parking-meters-originally-meant-to-keep-traffic-moving-need-an-update-7446458/

2. "Parking Meters Likely in Dubuque," Telegraph Herald, July 21, 1946, p. 1

3. "City Council Proceedings," Telegraph-Herald, July 19, 1946, p. 6

4. "City Council to Pave Way to Selection, Installation," Telegraph-Herald, November 24, 1946, p. 17

5. "Parking Meter 'Eyes' Attacked by Vandals," Telegraph-Herald, September 30, 1951, p. 24

6. "Free 10 Minute Parking Stalls Established in Downtown Area," Telegraph Herald, July 27, 1952, p. 17

7. "Judges Urges Motorist Aids, Traffic Checkers," Telegraph-Herald, April 23, 1963 p. 13

8. "Parking Meters," Online: https://www.cityofdubuque.org/1781/Parking-Meters

9. Ibid.

10. Wong, Allison, City of Dubuque to Pilot Smart Parking Meters, One Council Member Opposed," KCRG,com. September 18, 2018, Online: https://www.kcrg.com/content/news/City-of-Dubuque-to-pilot-smart-parking-meters-one-council-member-opposed-493648641.html