OAKLAND — The days of searching the Montclair Village streets for a working party kiosk will soon be a thing of the past, with the debut of smart meters.
The installation of smart meters began March 23 and will continue for the next two weeks. Approximately 300 new meter heads will be installed in existing metered spaces. No new metered spaces will be added at this time.
Smart meters are the latest addition to the changing parking landscape of Montclair Village, and the return to single-space meters. The smart meters mount two spaces on one pole, reducing the number of overall poles on the street.
The meters are designed to accommodate multiple payment options, including credit and debit cards, coins, and pay-by-phone.
The meters are solar powered, using rechargeable battery technology and are managed by a wireless system. When a meter is out of order, a signal will be sent automatically to the city Public Works Department, which can a dispatch repair teams. This will eliminate the need for residents to report malfunctioning meters and result in faster repair times.
The new meters will not change time limits and parking rates, and will not effect the flexible parking district, which brought variable parking rates to the village last summer. Enforcements and citations will also remain the same.
“I hope that the improved technology will benefit users and shoppers,” said Daniel Swafford, executive director of the Montclair Village Association. Swafford pointed out that the technical issues with the parking kiosks frustrated many people.
The price tag for the meter replacement is anticipated to be $5.8 million. The city expects to bankroll the project with an anticipated 15 percent increase in parking revenues. The cost will be repaid over a five-year period, having no long-term fiscal impact on the city.
According to the city, tickets purchased at the parking kiosks will still be valid.
Cities statewide, including San Diego, Manhattan Beach, Los Angeles, San Rafael, San Francisco, Berkeley, Sacramento and Santa Rosa have adopted the technology and report favorable results, decreased maintenance and more timely repairs.
The city have reported sales of surrounding businesses have gone up because customers have cited greater ease in parking.
The decision to upgrade the meters was made in November 2013 because of the large backlog of repairs and bugs to fix with the kiosks.
FYI
For more information, visit www.oaklandnet.com/parking. Informational meetings about the project will be held at the following locations:
What: Rockridge Community Planning Council
When: 7 p.m., May 15
Where: Rockridge Branch Library, 5366 College Ave, second floor
What: Montclair Safety Improvement Council
When: 7 p.m., June 5
Where: Montclair Presbyterian Church, 5701 Thornhill Drive
What: Dimond Improvement Association
When: 7 p.m. July 2
Where: Dimond Branch Library, 3565 Fruitvale Ave.