Despite criticisms from residents earlier in the summer, a new poll finds that most people in Salt Lake City are enjoying the new digital curbside parking system.
The survey, conducted by the Downtown Alliance business group, found that 70 percent of respondents said they find the new system easy or very easy to use. Many answered that they liked being able to use their credit cards or smartphone apps to pay the $2-per-hour rate that the meters enforce between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. The response is quite the turnaround from earlier in the summer, when residents criticized the new kiosks, complaining that they couldn’t function in the July heat waves and that a lack of lighted keypads would make them difficult to use during the darker months.
While motorists had also been concerned about the time limits for paid parking being extended from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., the majority of stores and restaurants downtown have been accommodating. Prior to these new hours, a number of these downtown parking spaces were being held up by employees for the whole evening.
“By extending the hours until 8 p.m., those spaces are [now] opened one or two more times,” Jason Mathis, executive director of Downtown Alliance, told the source.
The city’s director of transportation, Robin Hutcheson, added that while the new parking kiosks have “been a lot for our public to take in,” drivers have been gradually finding it less of an obstacle, with the meters priced at rates competitive with those of private parking lots.
“We’ve been listening to [public feedback],” said Hutcheson. “We want to ensure people coming downtown have a good experience.”
Salt Lake City is always working to improve the quality of life for its citizens, right down to the parking lots. If you’re interested in joining the community, speak with a Salt Lake City real estate agent today for listings on available housing opportunities.
