New parking meters to be installed next month

By Star-Advertiser staff

POSTED: 12:51 p.m. HST, May 21, 2012
LAST UPDATED: 07:09 p.m. HST, May 21, 2012

New parking meters that accept credit and debit cards along with coins are being installed next month around the civic center area as part of a pilot project that aims to replace all meters on Oahu with the technology, Mayor Peter Carlisle announced today.

The initial phase of the project will replace 110 meters in the Civic Center and Honolulu Police Department garages, and along South King and Punchbowl streets near the state Capitol and Honolulu Hale. Those meters are expected to be operational by June 4.

Once those are determined to be working, 263 city meters in the downtown and Chinatown areas will be replaced.

The city plans to collect data and study usage patterns for six months and then determine whether to replace all meters island-wide.

The total cost for replacing the first 373 meters is about $349,000. Replacing the island's remaining 2,720 meters is estimated at $1.5 million.

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DCook wrote:

But not accept paper dollars? What's the payback period at $1,327 installation per meter?

on May 21,2012 | 01:39PM

mcc wrote:

More than the train will payback.

on May 21,2012 | 03:03PM

olos73 wrote:

Didn't you hear that the City is making an app to show you where available parking stalls are? Don't the City know it's against the law to drive and use your cell phone? That's how they'll get the money to pay for the meters. Let drivers use the apps to find the parking space, HPD will give you a ticket for driving while using your cell phone, then pay for the meters. Slick, eh...

on May 21,2012 | 07:16PM

NanakuliBoss wrote:

As it get more expensive to own a car, people need to know that the asphalt under a parked vehicle, especially in Honolulu, should command top dollars. This is why Rail will become a focal point. Imua Rail.

on May 21,2012 | 02:48PM

pakeheat wrote:

No catch the bus much cheaper, or in fact bike, lol.

on May 21,2012 | 03:32PM

kainalu wrote:

Beware these "parking meters". We had a horrible experience with these things. Either you have loose change, or hope the machine accepts your card. Within the process, you have to hope that the "buttons" will respond to you pressing them. The zoo has these meters. When we went to the zoo, not all of these meters were working. In fact, it appears that only 1 was working, and it had a line formed at it. Trust me, if they install the same "meters" being used at the Honolulu Zoo, I expect more people will have problems with them than not.

on May 21,2012 | 03:00PM

Maneki_Neko wrote:

I don't get the economics. The first 373 meters cost $935 each; the balance of 2,720 meters cost $551 each. Is this just a volume discount? Hmmmm.

Who got the contract for this and was it a public bid? Who were the other bidders and what was the spread of offers?

Why buy individual "smart" meters that cost more than a PC each? Most places just have a central kiosk every 100 yards where you buy a ticket and put it on your car dashboard. Way cheaper and just as convenient.

on May 21,2012 | 05:14PM

bobbob wrote:

I'm kinda wondering what was wrong with the old meters. Theyre digital, they work. So what if they only accept quarters. These new meters justify the $1.5 million cost? Also fees collected from the new meters are going to be subject to service charges by the credit card company, which will eat into the city's profit. The total cost for replacing the first 373 meters is about $349,000. Replacing the island's remaining 2,720 meters is estimated at $1.5 million

on May 21,2012 | 05:23PM