Borough Begins Trial Use of Smart Meters

State College Borough has begun a 90-day trial of 20 single-space smart parking meters and a multi-space kiosk that accepts credit cards along College Avenue.

The trial is another opportunity for visitors to pay for parking without needing coins. The borough in recent years has installed payment kiosks in parking lots and begun using the Parkmobile mobile payment app for on- and off-street parking.

The smart meters allow drivers to use credit or debit cards, as well as coins, for payment directly at the meter. The multi-space kiosk also allows payment with cash.

In a news release, the Borough said the meters make parking revenue more efficient and help drivers avoid parking tickets. They also are easier to maintain and are designed to automatically call for repair if the meter is vandalized or malfunctions.

The borough’s 2016 operating budget includes funding to replace old coin-operated on-street meters with smart meters. The trial period will help the Parking Department determine where single-space meters or multi-space kiosks work best in different locations in downtown State College.

Signage is installed with the meters to show how to use them.