Bridgeport’s prehistoric coin-operated Downtown parking meters have finally gone the way of the 8-track player. Fulfilling a campaign promise from 2015, Mayor Joe Ganim this week provided Star 99.9’s Kevin Begley a tutorial on operating the modern meters, across from the Margaret Morton Government Center on Broad Street. See attached video.
A max of two hours is allowed via coin, credit and debit cards. Additional info from the city:
Key Smart Parking System features include:
1. Flexible payment options including coin, credit and debit cards, and coming soon, mobile payment using the “MobileNow®” application.
2. Public safety features including 911 call button, community service messaging, including weather alerts, local news and merchant promotions.
3. Easy to navigate, high-definition touch screen display that allows for a comfortable user experience.
4. Multi Language User Interface. The user interface can accommodate English, Spanish and Korean. Voice guidance to accommodate users with their parking experience.
5. Help video with instruction on how to use the meter by the Mayor and Star 99.9’s Kevin Begley
The City of Bridgeport has chosen Connecticut-based LAZ Parking as the vendor to manage its new parking system. The technology was developed by the firm Municipal Parking Solutions (MPS), which will provide the new meters technical support for them. Complus Data Innovations, Inc. will oversee violation management and collections. LAZ, MPS and Complus will work jointly to provide a managed parking solution for all city parking meters.
The City of Bridgeport is reminding residents of the parking ordinances that will be independently enforced with the use of cameras on the meters. Parking rules are enforced Monday through Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. with the exception of the 12 holidays observed.
So the new service will come on line and get Bridgeport to where New Haven has been for some years now.
And meters must be filled six days per week (except Sunday) from 8AM-6PM. Will revenue estimates increase? Will expense budget for parking meter personnel decrease?
And what is meant by stating:
“The City of Bridgeport is reminding residents of the parking ordinances that will be independently enforced with the use of cameras on the meters.”
So there is a camera on the meter. Will it take a selfie when I feed the meter (but no selfie available if I ignore it) or of my license plate to be tracked later? Is there an efficiency gain in the new system? What was the initial expense of the system, cost to install, and ongoing charges to be online, etc.? Does this bore you? Do you find it irrelevant?
Think for a moment how many have heard me state the FY2017 Police Department budget was phony. And now that overtime is out the window again, what will the Mayor or Chief do to limit the overtime between now and June 30 that they could not have done in the past several years? Oversight? Watchdogs? Monitoring? Does anyone expect answers to questions? Time will tell.
I am so very looking forward to the roll-out of the new meters across downtown. After all, not just New Haven, but also Norwalk has had similar equipment for a few years. Boston also uses similar meters and pay stations. This is a real improvement.
This sidewalk superintendent has watched the process of excavating narrow curbside conduits along blocks close to my home. The meters are wired together, so the data and internet and payment verification information is fed through the network. I look forward to installation of the new maters close to our major residential developments downtown.
My visitors have worried about needing quarters to visit me. Now I’ll just ask them, “What’s in your wallet?” Any card ought to work. And soon, there’ll be an app for that. Hot diggity!
(I’d also be interested in a refresher on the financial projections for this enterprise.)
That’s great, just fucking great. Bridgeport is one of the filthiest cities in the northeast, the Board of Education is mired in pettiness and bickering and frivolous lawsuits and the high school dropout rate is 48%. But at least we have state-of-the-art parking meters. Ain’t politics great?
Ditto.
I’ve been to New Haven. Half the time you cannot even figure if the time has been recorded. And if it is so good then why doesn’t it tell you that you put too much time on the meter?
One step forward and two steps back.
And LAZ makes money hand over fist.
Lenni,e why don’t you FOI the contract the city entered into with this company? I understand the city will not make a dime for over a decade. Any revenue could come from the mass citywide ticketing, which has been conducted for a year now.
ONE more reason NOT to go Downtown. Cameras on the meters. Right on. I will just drive to Post Road, Fairfield, get better food and not think for a f***ing second about meters and cameras and Joe Ganim.
Frank, Fairfield has no cameras on the Post Road? No parking meters on the Post Road? You want some cheese to go with that whine in Fairfield? Have you received a blood transfusion from Kellyanne Conway?
HEYYY..Lennie,..Let’s have dinner and good Italian wine for three hours plus. Mo meters to worry about..let’s just forget about Joe Ganim throughout those three hours..PLUS we won’t have to worry about the Credit Card info being swiped on these meters…Actually..WE CAN HAVE A REAL GREAT TIME…and I have the extra bonus of being able to walk home if I can’t find a designated driver or get an Uber driver off my app on my smartphone.
Quattro Pazzi
the old retired FFLD cops walking around putting chalk on tires to enforce daytime rules. I’m going out tonight. No meters..No cameras..no Ganim..I just have to worry about FFLD cops..but i can walk or uber it. BUONNA NOTTE.
ANY METERS ARE FOR RAILROAD PARKING…OR PARK AT THE THREE fAIRFIRLD TRAIN STATIONS FOR 6 DOLLARS..NO METERS..MO CAMERAS..PACI IN SOUTHPORT IS QUITE NICE ALSO. ONLY A FEW STEPS..AND NO MACE REQUIRED.
and let’s not mention all the FFLD places that have off street
parking.
FYI. OMG … is it really 3am? Just to let you know, I drove home safe and sound. Good night or Good Morning!!!