City of Columbia Missouri

P.O. BOX 6015
COLUMBIA, MO 65205

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 6, 2016

CONTACT: Public Works
(573) 874-2489

New downtown parking meter roll-out planned for Jan. 7-13

(COLUMBIA, MO) -

The City of Columbia Parking Utility plans to replace, install or upgrade nearly all downtown meters Jan. 7-13, weather permitting.  

"Many of the current meters have outlived their useful life and are experiencing high malfunction rates and maintenance costs," said Drew Brooks, who oversees the parking utility. "It is critical that we replace our old and deteriorating meters, some as old as 18 years, while still maintaining the same number of hourly parking spaces as we currently have downtown."

The parking utility will replace the internal mechanisms of approximately 957 meters while retaining the same outer housings. An additional 710 meters will be replaced by 355 new two-bay meters. All new meters will accept coins, new pre-paid CoMo Park Cards and Parkmobile. However, approximately 170 meters, which take credit cards, coins and Parkmobile, will not be upgraded or replaced. These meters may take the CoMo Park Card in the future.

Single-bay meters will look and function very similar to current meters, but two-bay meters will require customers to first select which space they are using. The benefit of two-bay meters is lower cost and maintenance. Additional benefits of all new and upgraded meters include increased security and better data tracking. Each new meter also has a backlit LED display that increases accessibility by making it easier to read at night.

New Prepaid Card: With the new meters, there will also be a new pre-paid, reloadable card available for purchase from the City. The new card will be called CoMo Park Card and will replace the EZ Park Card. The City will exchange the EZ Park Card for a new CoMo Park Card free of charge. To do this, customers must simply come to the Public Works Department on third floor of City Hall. The cards are expected to be available beginning Jan. 3. Staff will be available to transfer balances from the EZ Park to the CoMo Park Card, as well as provide more information on how to use the new card and new meters. Demo meters also will be available for instruction.

The manufacturer of the meters is MacKay Meters, Inc.

For more information on the new meters and CoMo Park Cards, follow Columbia Public Works on Facebook and Twitter



City of Columbia Vision
Columbia is the best place for everyone to live, work, learn and play.

City of Columbia Mission
To serve the public equitably through democratic, transparent and efficient government.

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