Downtown parking kiosk installation begins

A contractor has begun installing new parking kiosks in downtown Baton Rouge as part of the process of replacing the city’s antiquated meters.

However, it could be the end of the year or early next year before the new parking system is operational, city-parish spokesperson Mark Armstrong says by email.

“There will be a lot of coordination and alignment within city-parish and with downtown stake holders before they become operational,” he says, adding that there will be a “transition phase” involving public education as the new kiosks come online. “Having proper street parking management is essential to the downtown economy.”

The current downtown meters only take coins, and many are broken. Once the new system is operating, drivers will be able to pay with credit cards and through a mobile app.

The new system is supposed to enable the city-parish to better enforce the two-hour parking limit, encouraging more parking turnover to make downtown businesses more accessible. Officials also expect the new system to raise additional revenue for city-parish government.

This story originally appeared in an Oct. 14 issue of Daily Report. To keep up with Baton Rouge business and politics, subscribe to the free Daily Report e-newsletter here.

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