Salt Lake City may upgrade to high-tech parking meters

SALT LAKE CITY — In a move some say is decades overdue, officials of Utah's capital city may finally be on the verge of signing off on replacing more than 2,000 coin-operated parking meters throughout the city.

And while few will likely miss rifling through glove boxes or scrounging under floor mats for precious lost change, a surprise or two could accompany the update to the latest in parking meter technology.

Mayor Ralph Becker said the need to bring the antiquated system into the here-and-now has been on his mind since his first days in the executive's chair.

"Shortly after I came into office, one of the things I asked is that we pursue revamping our antiquated parking meter system," Becker said. "Now, it looks like we're close to making that a reality."

That reality could include a host of niceties that will make parking at metered locations faster, easier and virtually hassle-free, unless of course, one strays over the infraction line.

A study commissioned by the city will get a vetting before the Salt Lake City Council Tuesday and outlines all the high-tech options currently available for managing metered municipal parking. The selection includes pay stations that accept credit and debit cards along with paper currency, smartcards or tokens. New wireless technology allows the machines to do a host of "thinking," like recognizing if a space is occupied, and, if it is and payment hasn't been made, instantly sending an electronic message notifying parking enforcement. That same messaging capability can also simultaneously log citations, once they're issued, into the court system.

While the smart machines are capable of quickly, and efficiently identifying scofflaws, that same processing power also creates new ways for drivers to stay out of trouble. One option, according to the information compiled by Walker Parking Consultants, allows a parker to get a text message notifying them of a meter that's about to run out and, (as long as the maximum two hours has not been exceeded,) allows for extending time via cell-phone transmitted payment. Salt Lake Council Chairman J.T. Martin said the new technology equates to money in the bank.

"This changeover is projected to add $2 million-$3 million in parking-related revenue annually," Martin said. "While it sounds like some of that will come from enforcement, most of the increase is from the increased efficiencies."