City officials must be efficient, quick in replacing outdated parking meters

City officials need to move quickly and efficiently while negotiating a contract with a new company to update the city’s parking meters.

Last week, the Syracuse Common Council voted 8-0 to spend up to $2.54 million replacing all the meters in the city. City officials are beginning to contact companies to sign a three-year contract for installment and maintenance of meters.

Beginning Nov. 1, the current meters will no longer be able to accept credit card payments because of outdated technology. Credit card payments generate more than one-third of all money spent on the city’s meters. Some of these meters are close to campus, including Marshall Street. The transition between the current and updated meters will affect those on campus, city residents and visitors.

Carrying coins in cars and cash in wallets is common, but is not universal. Sometimes, people’s only options are credit cards. It’s something that people may have become accustomed to and for a period of time — anywhere from 90 days to a full year, according to one common councilor’s estimate — this option will be taken away.

City officials must move quickly to minimize the length of time when parking meters do not accept credit cards. The bids for a new company are expected to be back within 6-8 weeks, or the end of November. City officials must then choose a company before any headway is made.

In November, the current system will go offline and the credit card option will be unavailable. Once a company is chosen and a contract is signed, it will be well into the winter months. Construction to replace parking meters could get backed up because of the inclement weather, and the length of time when users cannot use a credit card could be even more prolonged.

The city plans to update all of the meters during a three-year period. But the upgrades must be done as quickly as possible to minimize the inconvenience for community members.