July 25, 2008
by Ann Marie Fallon
The New Castle Town Board recently awarded a contract to Digital Technologies, the only qualified entity from which they received a bid, for two multi-bay parking system meters to replace the stand alone meters currently used in the commuter parking lot.
The contract worth $38,367, includes the two machines, delivery, installation and four years of maintenance. Town Supervisor Barbara Gerard stated that the capital budget had funded $50,000 for this project.
The machines, which are also used throughout White Plains, accept credit and debit cards, as well as coins. The town board, after some discussion, decided not to include paper money as a payment option, concerned that the collection of paper money in the meters could make the meters a theft risk.
The two machines, scheduled for installation in the fall, will be located near the train station and be enclosed so that commuters will be protected from the elements as they make payment. The meters will manage the approximately 100 parking spots currently covered by individual stand alone meters.
How the multi-bay parking system works
Under the new system, a commuter will need to remember the number of his or her parking spot and enter that into the machine. Next, the commuter will enter the number of minutes he or she wants and pay for them. The machine will dispense a receipt, which does not need to be displayed in the parked car. A traffic enforcement officer or police officer will be able to check electronically as to whether a parking space has been paid for, and issue a ticket to any vehicle parked in an unpaid space.
Currently the police department empties the individual meters weekly. This new system will minimize the time needed for coin collection. It also will have an email notification system to alert the authorities of tampering. According to the work session discussions, municipalities that have utilized this type of system have seen their revenue grow because once a spot is vacated, a new occupant of the spot does not know if there is time remaining. The effect of this is that parking spaces can sometimes be paid for twice to the benefit of the municipality’s coffers.
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