CLEVELAND — In an effort to make parking easier in the central business district, the city has begun installing multi-space pay stations, marking a shift from traditional parking meters.
These new Flowbird pay stations aim to make parking more convenient for visitors.
The new stations offer multiple payment options, including coins, credit cards, and the ParkMobile app, which the city introduced last October.
The machines feature touch screens with instructions available in English, Spanish, French, and Mandarin, ensuring accessibility for a diverse range of users.
As part of this transition, the city will remove existing parking meters to make way for the new pay stations.
To assist with the change, city officials will provide educational support downtown throughout the summer.
Public Works has announced a grace period to help residents and visitors adapt to the new system without immediate penalties.
"We plan to have a grace period and handle it organically," Frank Williams, the director of Cleveland Public Works, said. "We’re not looking to start making revenue off people who just need to be educated."
One of the key advantages of the new system is its flexibility.
Users can input their parking information at any pay station within the district, regardless of where they initially parked.
This means that if you need to add time to your parking and you’re a few streets away, you can simply use the nearest pay station.
Before using the pay stations, drivers will need to know their zone number, which will be clearly posted in the area, along with their license plate number.
As for parking rates, they will remain at $1 per hour with a maximum of two hours unless otherwise posted.
