Parking Meter Reprieve

By Prescott Carlson in Miscellaneous on Jan 16, 2009 8:55PM

The fine folks over at The Expired Meter -- the #1 Chicago parking related website -- are reporting that you don't have to stuff your pockets with extra quarters yet if you're looking for some metered street parking, as the parking meter rate increase that was supposed to take place January 1 is not likely to happen until February or March. That's because while the City Council rushed the sale of the meters through, the actual lease deal is taking a while longer. And without the lease deal, work can't begin on adjusting the meters and putting new rate stickers on them, and without that happening the new rates can't be enforced, so enjoy your cheap parking while it lasts.

“The earliest the work will begin is the end of the month,” said Scales. “But realistically, the work won’t begin until well into February.”

[Chicago Department of Budget & Management spokesperson Peter] Scales admitted that with 36,000 plus meters in the system, it will take quite a bit of time to adjust all of them, but he did not have an estimate on how much time it will take to change over all the meters to reflect the new rates and days/time of enforcement.

The Expired Meter speculates that it will be at least March if not April before all the meters are changed. Finally, one time that we don't mind municipal work happening slowly around here. Take your time, boys!

Image by Sarah Wendt