Rockford parking decks go electric

Automatic parking meters went live Monday morning at the citys four downtown parking decks, replacing live attendants.

The next 30 days will be a sort of grace period, where drivers will continue to only be charged to park in the decks during weekdays. Then the city will start charging all day, every day.

The move to the automatic meters opens all four spots to hourly and daily parking, which may increase daytime access downtown. Three of the four decks had been reserved for permit holders.

But at night, it represents a culture change for downtown Rockford, when after 5 p.m., almost all parking has been free.

Some, such as Ald. Tom McNamara, D-3, are concerned about what it will mean to downtown business and whether it will hurt momentum for downtown attractions.

We want customers to drop in without feeling like they have to run out to the car before they get a ticket, McNamara said. If youre a minimum wage or hourly worker how are you going to manage to also spend on parking?

Aldermen hired ABM Parking Services in February to manage the citys entire parking system. The national firm writes parking tickets, sells monthly permits and sets up ticket appeal hearings. Mainly, the city hired ABM to increase revenue and cut inefficiencies in its parking system.

The contract with ABM requires the company to invest about $900,000 in the new equipment, said Jeremy Carter, city traffic engineer.

That equipment brings some value, Carter said.

The rates and hours are still set by city officials. There are no planned changes to Rockfords street parking policies.

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Rockford parking decks go electric