How you pay to park in Sacramento is changing. Why are coin slots being blocked?
A rash of vandalism has led the city of Sacramento to begin obstructing the coin payment slots on single-space parking meters, a spokesperson said.
Some single-space meters will be replaced with more durable multi-space pay stations, which will retain the option to pay with physical money. Recently, the city has replaced meters around Southside Park and R Street.
Gabby Miller, a spokesperson for the Department of Public Works, said that the city was making changes “in response to the damages we’ve seen since last year.” The recurring vandalism, she said, resulted in “high repair costs and delays due to a lack of replacement parts.”
The city’s Open Data Portal shows more than 5,000 311 calls for broken parking meters since last April — about 2,500 more calls than the previous 12 months.
Miller said the new meters offered many benefits.
“This change,” she said, “is designed to enhance security and reduce maintenance needs while continuing to offer convenient payment options for drivers.”
Coins can still be used at any meter with a functioning coin slot. At single-space meters with coin slots that have been blocked off, drivers must use cashless payment options or risk a ticket.
The city says drivers are allowed to park at an inoperable meter if “no other space is available or there are no other alternative places to park.” In that case, the person should report the meter number or location to 311 and, ideally, take a photo of the broken meter as evidence in the event that an enterprising parking enforcement officer issues a citation.
Generally, city code says that parking meter funds go back into traffic regulation, public parking facilities as well as parking enforcement.
The coin slot policy follows another parking payment shift last July, when Sacramento began Sunday enforcement.
