Little quarters add up big time.
For months now, there has been a non-functioning meter alongside the YMCA across from Plainfield City Hall.
There is another outside the YWCA that has displayed a 'FAIL' message for months, which yesterday had disappeared altogether (because its battery finally failed?), leaving a blank window in its place.
Out of order meters do nothing for the bottom line.
Further down the block, in front of the Supremo supermarket, I encountered the 'OUT OF ORDER' message above in yet another meter on Thursday.
The Council might be well-advised to ask the Administration for a report on the percentage of broken meters and why it takes so long to correct the conditions. Who knows how much money the City is losing.
While we're talking about money -- is it time to revisit the parking revenue rationale?
Plainfield's electronic meters, which were installed about ten years ago, are set to give 30 minutes for 25¢ -- or $1.00 for the maximum parking period of 2 hours.
Should that be updated to perhaps 20 minutes for 25¢, which would yield $1.50 for the maximum period?
These little piggy banks generate considerable income, but thinking about parking strategically often escapes notice. What are other towns doing?
Also, there are more up-to-date metering equipment solutions.
Two that come to mind are 1) the multi-space meters (each meter handles four parking spaces) near the Newark Museum, which reduce the numbers of collection points for traffic personnel, and 2) the metering in the lot adjacent to Trader Joe's in Westfield, which monitors an even large number of spaces, plus giving the customer a printed receipt for their space in case of a dispute over a ticket.
Perhaps the Council's Finance Committee should take a close look at parking as a revenue stream and see what could be done to improve it.
I'm even willing to contribute the occasional 25¢.
-- Dan Damon [follow]
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3 comments:
I don't know about broken parking meters, but Plainfield has parking spaces too close to intersection where there are left and straight/right turn lanes, making them useless. The city needs to fix broken meters and allow plenty of space for the lanes I mentioned to be useful. Good traffic flow makes everyone safer when driving and walking in Plainfield.
Philadelphia has the same type of group meters. They are very efficient and accept credit cards for the short of change customers. They also give receipts. They aint cheap, but it could be worth the investment. That would also cut down or eliminate the opportunity for the unscrupulous meter maid to pick and choose who she gives tickets to. Everyone would be the same. If not, there would be a record of collections to show for it. It would also make it easier for the folks collecting the monies. Less stops to make.
The problem with the Westfield parking payment system is that you need to leave your car ticketless while you go to the machine to pay. I know someone who got a parking citation when she was waiting in line to put in her patking fee located at the machine which was two lanes over. She had to take time to go to court to rectify the matter.
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