Should the city install a few 15-minute parking meters downtown? / LJWorld.com

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Asked at Massachusetts Street on March 9, 2010

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“Yes, that would be awesome. You got to run a quick errand, that just makes it easier.”

— Megan Carie, bartender, Overland Park

“Because I work downtown, I like the long meters. It’s more time for people to get things done.”

— James Sizelove, musician, Indianapolis

“I think it’s unnecessary. If anything, we need to find more places to park cars, but not in the parking garages.”

— Rebekah Edmonds, ticket taker, Lawrence

“I would be all for that, especially for the video business. People dropping their movies off would appreciate something like that.”

— Mick Cottin, projectionist, Lawrence

Some downtown merchants want 15-minute meters to facilitate 'quick business'

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misterlee 3 years, 3 months ago

Great idea if they're clearly marked so motorists can tell which ones they are.

George_Braziller 3 years, 3 months ago

Huh?

“I think it’s unnecessary. If anything, we need to find more places to park cars, but not in the parking garages.”

RoeDapple 3 years, 3 months ago

Bring 'em on! There are plenty of places I can get a nice meal or a cold beer without paying to park anyway, so line the streets with them! Then ask yourselves why business has slumped even more downtown.

Mel Briscoe 3 years, 3 months ago

salina did away w/ parking meters a long time ago... then again, our downtown area kind of sucks.

RETICENT_IRREVERENT 3 years, 3 months ago

Will the meters take pennies?

remember_username 3 years, 3 months ago

What are they going to do to monitor a 15 min meter, station a meter maid in front of it? If I was doing an errand in less than 15 min I could simply park, get out and look around for the meter maid, then go do my business if he/she is not nearby. I think it's a dumb idea. If you want to encourage people to vacate spots in a timely fashion or raise collections, just raise the fine.

50YearResident 3 years, 3 months ago

Ok, lets get these Downtown merchants and do a test. Put a temp "no parking" on 16 meters, four in each block and tell the merchants they can park at any of these meters while running the test Start the merchants out at city hall with a different challenge for each merchant. Have a predetermined goal for each, like pick up a food order, go to the ATM and make a transaction, run to any store to buy any item, pay a bill, everyday things that shoppers might want to accomplish quickly. Have a volenteer at each meter with a 15 min stop watch and as soon as the merchant tester exits his car and taps the meter the time begins with the stop watch. At the end of 15 minutes the test will be graded. Did the merchant complete his/her assignment within the 15 min and make it back to the car and exit the space. If 80 to 100 % complete the test then do the meter change. If 50% or more fail then scrap this idea.

letsgetwise 3 years, 3 months ago

What's the minimum for the parking meters now?

Leslie Swearingen 3 years, 3 months ago

They should put number pads on meters so you can just punch in the minutes you need. You will be able to buy a card that you swish though the meter to pay for it. You will also have a remote device that alerts you if your time is about to expire and lets you put more minutes in. Trust me, when you have degenerative joint disease and tendinitis in your Achilles tendon it can feel like your legs are going to fall off.

mondojeepin 3 years, 3 months ago

Up here in Des Moines we have some free 15 min. meters downtown, but you do have to hit a button to activate the timer. I don't travel downtown Des Moines much, but I have utilized a couple of these meters a time or two when I wanted to run in somewhere to grab some lunch to go. These would be a nice addition to downtown Lawrence... maybe designate 2 of the 4 parking meters on Mass St. closest to the intersections as 15 min. meters???

George_Braziller 3 years, 3 months ago

Uhhhhhh, Leslie / Irish there already is something that doesn't require a "remote device" or a "numbers pad." It's called a handicapped parking tag or a hang-tag. If you have one you can park at any meter and don't have to feed it.

oneeye_wilbur 3 years, 3 months ago

after thinking about this, one has to wonder just what it would be that one would want to run in and get in 15 minutes. if the meter is 1/2 way down the street and you want to "run" in up or down the block, that takes time kids, and then you may have to wait inside, and guess what the meter pops up exipired, but don't fret, you won't get a ticket, unless the meter maid/person is lurking nearby.

You need to scope out the block first and see where the meter person is wandering about.

Again, charge 50cents 30 minutes on each and every meter on Mass, with all meters being paid until 3am. after that street cleaning and meters start up again at 9am.

Money, it's a business, All parking lots have meters. Maybe 25cents for each hour. Right now, that would be more money than is coming in.

Save downtown? It is doing ok. If one has a viable product, a business with a needed product, then the business will survive. Quit spending tax money to keep up the parking lots. If they are not generating enough money, then sell the air rights above them and build up.