The Parking Meter Deal

It turns out that, despite Chicago's disastrous parking meter deal, the city government can still use meters to benefit neighborhoods. During a recent discussion of Chicago's parking challenges and their accompanying report, Metropolitan Planning Council vice president Peter Skosey and research director Chrissy Mancini Nichols told me how the city can make lemonade out of this lemon of a deal. There are a few issues that need to be resolved first, and this turnaround would require installing more meters, but that would only be a good thing for neighborhoods.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel still hasn't let any aldermen reinstate metered parking on Sundays, despite promises last summer to do so after he announced a renegotiated parking meter deal. A new study released today shows why it may never happen.

Mike Brockway of the Expired Meter has a story on DNAinfo today breaking the news that non-government workers have been issuing parking tickets since 2010. Brockway reports that people who work for LAZ Parking -- hired by Chicago Parking Meters, the city's private concessionaire -- and not for the city have been enforcing parking regulations.

On Monday, Mayor Rahm Emanuel outlined some changes he's proposing to the infamous parking meter deal the City Council approved in 2009 (henceforth to be referred to as "The Parking Meter Deal," in recognition of its unique awfulness). Unfortunately, Chicago isn't getting a better deal. In fact, the city's parking policy is set to get worse.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s announcement today that he has renegotiated the city's much-hated parking meter contract to save an estimated $1 billion over the next 71 years appears to be a big win for Chicago residents. The introduction of a new pay-by-cell option, albeit with a 35-cent convenience fee, also seems to be a good thing. But while many Chicagoans will cheer the news that Sunday parking would be free as part of the agreement, in reality this may hurt local businesses and lead to more traffic jams.