The Parking Meter Deal
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It’s time for Chicago to rid itself of the parasitic parking meter contract
While it's possible to cope with the horrible parking deal through design and policy, we really need to abolish it altogether.
September 1, 2021
More Parking Meters Would Help, Not Hurt, City Neighborhoods
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.
June 8, 2015
Rahm Made the Meter Deal Worse, and That Shows No Signs of Changing
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.
March 5, 2014
It Doesn’t Matter Who Issues Parking Tickets as Long as They Do It Well
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.
January 8, 2014
Four Reasons Free Parking on Sundays Is Bad for Chicago
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.
May 2, 2013
Renegotiated Parking Meter Deal Is a Mixed Blessing
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.
April 29, 2013