Columbus parking authorities rolled out a new mobile payment system for Short North meters this week.
Instead of digging out dimes and quarters, drivers might see new stickers on Short North parking meters encouraging them to try the new ParkColumbus app to pay for their time.
Assistant parking director Robert Ferrin says the app can help cut down on congestion because fewer cars will be circling the block. It will send reminders to help drivers avoid tickets.
"Either 15, 30 minutes or even an hour before your meter is going to expire,” he explained. “So we see a huge benefit for customers and visitors to the Short North to pay for parking and avoid that parking ticket."
Louise Weizer gave the app a try as she finished up some Christmas shopping in the neighborhood.
“I was so happy that it said pay by app,” she explained. “I love doing that. I pay by app for everything I can. Starbucks, groceries, whatever.”
John Allen, who owns the Short North Tavern, says he’ll probably stick with change but doesn’t mind the addition.
“If it makes them easier to get here so they can come buy a beer in the tavern, I can live with it,” Allen says.
Ferrin says starting in January, drivers will also be able to pay for spaces usually reserved for neighborhood permit holders between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. Parking enforcement will use license plate recognition cameras to keep track of who paid, and Ferrin says they’re capping stays at three hours.
They’ll be more expensive than parking in a garage or at a meter, too.
“We are doing that so we have visitor parking during the day, but that long-term parking, again, needs to go to garages,” Ferrin says. “And also for people to look at other options, such as the bus, car-share, ride-share, Uber, Lyft those types of options.”
Since launching at parking meters Monday, Ferrin says they’ve seen nearly 50 mobile transactions.
