Indianapolis—
Big changes coming to the way you park in downtown Indianapolis. 1,200 new meters will be installed this month and by summer all 3,000 will be replaced. Those close to the project say it will be better for businesses who want change over, and easy to use for the consumer. The new meters will accept both coins and credit cards and in the future you will be able to use your cell phone to put more money in the meters.Wednesday, a crew of about 8-10 people began taking the old meters down and installing the new, credit card friendly ones. Immediate rates aren't going up. You will still only pay 75 cents for one hour. Next month, the price goes up to $1 an hour. During the next four weeks, 1200 new parking meters will be installed downtown, on Massachusetts Avenue and in Broad Ripple.
Wednesday, parking meters were installed along Illinois, New York, Meridian and Georgia Streets.
Lou Gerig, who's PR firm is working with ParkIndy says rates "haven't changed in 35 years." Rates will be raised from 75 cents an hour to $1 an hour in downtown Indianapolis. The hours have changed as well.
"It's important to look at the meter before paying," said Gerig.
New meter installations will start in the downtown area in a section starting from Capitol Avenue on the west, going east on New York Street, heading south on Alabama Street going west on Maryland to Pennsylvania, south to Georgia Street and west to Capitol. A spur will extend along Massachusetts Avenue from Delaware Street on the south to St. Clair Street on the north.
Meanwhile, the new meters in Broad Ripple will include portions of College and Guilford Avenues plus Broad Ripple Avenue from College to Winthrop Avenue and Westfield Boulevard.
"At first it will be single space meters that accept credit cards and then in late spring and early summer, multi-space pay boxes that accept credit cards will be installed in select locations," said Gerig.
