News

Jul 11, 2023

Downtown Fresno is getting a parking meter makeover

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- One by one, a parking meter makeover is taking place in

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- One by one, a parking meter makeover is taking place in downtown Fresno.

It is a gradual process so you'll find empty poles on some streets, which means free parking - for now.

When paired with the ParkMobile app, the new meters will allow people to avoid hustling back to the car to add coins or time with their credit or ATM card.

After all, nobody likes a parking ticket.

"With the app, if you want to dine a little bit longer, you're able to add additional time to the meter. So we hope that cuts down on citations too," says Assistant City Manager Greg Barfield.

You can even delete time from the meters if you take care of business a little sooner than anticipated.

The new meters tap into the sun. They're equipped with a small solar panel which helps power the battery.

The project was approved two years ago by the city council but the pandemic caused a bit of a delay.

"We're excited to bring our technology up to what smaller cities have. Us as a big city should have this too," says Barfield.

If you get the app, it will also tell you where you can find parking.

No more driving around the block in hopes of finding a spot.

Fresno City Councilmember Miguel Arias figures that will also help reduce vehicle emissions downtown.

"We're finally coming to the 21st century of parking in Fresno. These meters are being updated to allow the public to access a mobile app whether there's an open spot for parking," he says.

It will take about two months to install the 1910 parking meters downtown.

Workers with the IPS Group started with City Hall but you'll notice some streets will have blank poles, which will be very popular with folks seeking temporary free parking.