SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — It’s the middle of August and the city’s parking meter replacements still aren’t here.
According to a Syracuse.com article, the city put $2 million toward replacing parking meters that are unable to accept cash, card or coins as forms of payment. The replacements purchased in February have been delayed due to supply-chain issues.
Until the new meters come, Syracuse Parking Services is recommending people to use a free mobile parking app called Flowbird. The app is free to download but charges 35 cents per use in addition to the hourly rate.
Kyle Patchett, owner of Forum Barber, said he won’t download the app.
“I’d rather fight the ticket than download the app,” Patchett said. “I’d rather, like, get a ticket and go to the court and be like, ‘hey none of your parking meters work and I don’t want to pay this ticket.’”
Patchett finds it to be not only a hassle to download the app, but even to pay at the meter.
“I think it might just be laziness on my part but because it’s more of a hassle putting my card in the meter that’s on the street, I just don’t want to do it.”
Patchett said that there are other alternatives to parking instead of using the meter or app.
“There are enough parking garages and lots to where you can just park in a lot or garage and it’s not that big a deal,” Patchett said.
Some people like Anya Gonzalez, a Revenue Management Analyst at Pierman Management Group, pay for a pass to park in the Federal Lot. Gonzalez said it’s cheaper this way than paying for the meters. She also doesn’t feel reassured by the app.
“I just think a sticker on my car is better, I don’t trust the whole app thing with it.”
While city officials hope to replace the broken meters over the next two years, according to Syracuse.com, they are encouraging people to either pay by the app or park next to working meters, even if it means walking a farther distance to your destination.
