Columbus Dispatch: You can now begin to use credit cards in parking meters

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Parking? You can charge it

Tuesday, January 4, 2011 02:54 AM

The Columbus Dispatch

Columbus began installing 977 "smart" parking meters in high-traffic areas such as Downtown and the Short North yesterday.

The meters accept credit and debit cards as well as coins.

The city plans to replace its more than 4,000 coin-operated meters with the new meters, about 1,000 a year.

Kyle Robertson Dispatch photos

David Vega installs one of Columbus' first "smart" parking meters. Vega, who works for IPS Group Parking & Telecommunications in San Diego, was on Grandview Avenue yesterday.

The parking meters being installed in Columbus accept credit and debit cards in addition to coins. They are powered by batteries that are solar-rechargeable, weather permitting.