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Late last year The City of Columbus’ Public Service Department tested out several new high-tech parking kiosks around town, but pulled them back out after they failed to meet several expectations.
Tomorrow, a different model of meter will be installed on a patch of Gay Street for another technology trial run. 35 new meters will take the place of old ones and provide customers the option of paying with coins or credit card. Unlike the failed kiosks, these meters are set up in the traditional configuration of one per car, and they do not print paper receipts to place on your dashboard. It’s also worth noting that the meters are power by solar-charged batteries and use a wireless cellular network for securely billing credit cards. The wireless features will also provide the city with real time data tracking, remote settings updates, and automatic notification of full or malfunctioning meters.
If the testing goes well, the new meters could see a wide rollout across the city. Over 4000 meters are in need of replacing over the next few years. The testing phase is scheduled to run through Spring 2009.
Wait, are you wanting them to be easy to use or wanting them to look new and sexy?
I haven’t used a payphone in forever, but even the old beat up crappy ones are “easy to use”.
Umm, I don’t see it as an either or situation. That being said, the aesthetics might play into the usability of the meter. Yes, I want them to be easy to use. Especially since the lack of ease of use killed the kiosk experiment.
In terms of sexy parking meters. Did you have something like this in mind?
Here we have a meter engaged in an act of seduction sportin’ a fashionable coat of paint, trying it’s very best to solicit the change right out of good citizens pockets. I guess NO I have no interest in “sexy meters”, but I suppose a meter could get it’s sexy on.
I don’t care how “sexy” they look, but if they are in the process of replacing meters why not go all the way and bring the whole thing up to date. Especially if the existing ones (the meters on Gay in particular) look beat to hell. At the very least let’s hope for a fresh coat of paint.
Ha! That is one sexy meter.
I agree that it doesn’t have to be an either/or. If we are going to be replacing 4000 meters over the next few years though, I’m guessing the city is weighing the cost of implementation and ROI most heavily in deciding which ones to go with.
Sleek modern meters would definitely be an aesthetic streetscaping improvement, but if the comments in this thread are any indicator, most people sound they they value function over form when it comes to their parking infrastructure.
The coat of paint is a good idea that could be done cheaply. Perhaps they could be color coded based on time/cost? That way it would be easy to tell that the ones with the red poles get you 5 minutes per quarter and the ones with the green poles get you 20 minutes per quarter. Oh, and the ones with the blue poles get your a $500 parking ticket if you’re not handicapped. ;)
I spotted that meter dressed up for HighBall. :)
Great idea… Although, sheez with those arches and their schizophrenic color story I can see the SN getting rainbow poles.
I’ve only used the system once, but I thought it was great. I didn’t have any change, so I swiped my credit card. You can only add time by pushing a 15 minute increment button, but it knew that the meters became free in 20 minutes, so that’s all it let me pay for. I thought that was pretty cool.
It also tends to keep the sidewalk clutter to a minimum by only having one or two meters per block.
And I’m betting that after a year of taking the kind of abuse that parking meters, or anything else that sits out on the street, take they’re gonna look beat up no matter what they look like to start with. The smart money is on heavy durability. If they look like they can be injured in any way, someone will try. Usually with a tire iron. If they look like nothing you do is ever going to hurt the thing, fewer people will try. Although, in some places people just hacksaw the poles and steal them whole. :?
I love my old city-issued parking meter card, I bought it at PVB on Whittier Street and when it needs $$ added I take it there. It’s convenient and reliable and every meter in Columbus accepts it. It is black and white with a hologram and is very sexy.
The cards are great Christmas gifts, once you have one you never go back to the old way.
Those pretty, sexy meters always ask for a good beating.
Those pretty, sexy meters always ask for a good beating.
Now I understand your ‘avatar’ picture.
Saw these last night in front of Tip Top, locked the bike up to one. They are just fitted onto the older meters. They look made of plastic, but are in fact very metal. They have solar panels on the side opposite the part with buttons. They don’t take AMEX, but they do take VISA, Mastercard, and Discover. There are on/off and volume buttons too.
ehhh? for blind drivers… I don’t understand.
ehhh? for blind drivers… I don’t understand.
I think they have an iPod jack, speakers and roll out cardboard for break dancing.
Solar panels? In Ohio?
I hope these things require VERY little juice to run.
So if we can pay for parking meters with credit, how about the bus?
http://xingcolumbus.wordpress.com/2008/11/20/a-fare-solution/
Solar panels? In Ohio?
I hope these things require VERY little juice to run.
The one I saw faces north too!
Solar panels? In Ohio?
I hope these things require VERY little juice to run.
The one I saw faces north too!
I was walking through the Arena District and noticed a private parking lot with a kiosk outfitted with solar panels on top and though the same thing.
Whenever I go by the Donatos on High in the SN – I keep thinking (for about 2 seconds) those window panels are solar panels.
Solar panels? In Ohio?
I hope these things require VERY little juice to run.
The one I saw faces north too!
I was walking through the Arena District and noticed a private parking lot with a kiosk outfitted with solar panels on top and though the same thing.
Whenever I go by the Donatos on High in the SN – I keep thinking (for about 2 seconds) those window panels are solar panels.
The electronics in things like this (a timer, a cell transmitter, etc) probably use a few milliwatts of power at most. The cell transmitter perhaps uses the most (probably ~250milliwatts but only in bursts). Things like this (or, something I’m more into, scientific instruments that get deployed in remote places) usually just use the solar panel to charge a battery. Typically they design ‘em so that even in total darkness they could run on battery for a few days. It doesn’t take much solar to keep up with a small load like that even facing north, indirect light should do it.
I would be far more worried about some asshat breaking the solar cells. Those things are delicate, and a clear plastic cover is a weak point for vandalism.
Speaking of this you might be surprised to know that some of the BP gas stations have rooftop solar panels. Lots of them.
I would be far more worried about some asshat breaking the solar cells. Those things are delicate, and a clear plastic cover is a weak point for vandalism.
My first thought was, “how soon till this panel has a CD101 sticker over it?”
I would be far more worried about some asshat breaking the solar cells. Those things are delicate, and a clear plastic cover is a weak point for vandalism.
My first thought was, “how soon till this panel has a CD101 sticker over it?”
bingo
Found this radio piece on meter rates while at work! I guess Chicago privatized their meters.
[url]http://www.glrc.org/story.php3?story_id=4274[/url]