Streets around USC will start seeing those new fancy meters, otherwise known as pay stations, later this month. 25 of them--mostly placed along Jefferson Blvd.--will be activated January 20th through 22nd. For the first two days, Department of Transportation ambassadors will be around to help people use the machines.
Lately, the new machines have been a sign in change for the city. Higher parking rates and extended hours have been a cause of unrest for many but some welcome the idea of higher parking rates because they believe it leads to less traffic (you know, circling and circling for that free or super cheap parking). Here's the Department of Transportation sees it, via an e-mail to LAist:
Since September 2008, LADOT has been adjusting parking meter rates and hours of operation to better match the heavy demand for parking throughout the City. Previously, L.A.'s rates were among the lowest in the country, having not been adjusted in over 20 years on the average. The minimum parking meter rate in the City is now $1 per hour, with rates up to $3 and $4 per hour Downtown.
In addition, most meters ceased operation at 6:00 PM, just when they are most needed in many areas to keep parking spaces turning over and available for evening customers. The meter hours have now generally be extended to 8:00 PM Citywide. In entertainment and shopping districts, where the demand for parking extends even later, meters operate up to midnight on Friday and Saturday nights and from 11 AM to 8 PM on Sundays.
The parking meter rate for the Pay Stations and all single space meters in the area will be $1 per hour, and the new meter hours will be 8am-8pm Monday-Saturday. The existing time limits, such as the "4 Hour Parking" near the campus, will remain the same.
Whether you like it or not, this is a new way of life in Los Angeles. Situations like that in NoHo Arts District need to be fixed but the reality behind changing to a different city sometimes takes steps beyond what may feel like common sense.
