Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Councilman Gilman Proposes Stickerless Parking Permits

Liz Reid
/
90.5 WESA

Pittsburgh City Councilman Dan Gilman introduced a bill Tuesday that he said will save the city between $10,000 and $20,000 a year. He said that’s how much it costs to print and mail residential parking permit stickers and renewal notices.

The legislation would call on the Pittsburgh Parking Authority to provide residents the option to renew parking permits online and do away with the sticker system, instead relying on license plate recognition technology.

“Given the fact that we already use license plate technology for our parking meters, and we already use online payment systems at the Parking Authority, it should be incredibly inexpensive,” Gilman said. “When you’re talking about saving $10,000-$20,000 a year, the payback will happen very quickly.”

Gilman said the change would make enforcement easier, because stickers can be obscured by snow or tinted windows. He also said it would make the process of procuring guest parking passes easier.

“Right now if you have a guest come into town for three days, you put a piece of paper in the windshield,” Gilman said. “Now, you’ll be able to go online and just say ‘that PA plate is my guest for the next three days.’ It takes you 15 seconds and you’re done.”

Approximately 18,000 residential parking permits and 12,000 guest permits were issued last year.

Council is scheduled to discuss the matter at their committee meeting next week. Gilman hopes to see the electronic parking permit system implemented by the end of this year.