12 Hour Meters On The 6th Level Of The Market Square Ramp

This morning I went up to the 6th level of the parking structure, where I occasionally park when I know my husband is going to be working longer than 5 hours. He and I share a rented space and I usually put quarters into a 5 hour meter on the 4th level.

Because of our vacation, he has had to work much longer and I have been using the 12 hour meters on the 6th level. At the meeting I discussed the fact that the Meter Men were putting letters in my car wiper blades telling me to rent a space and move my car out of the metered areas to allow parking for customers to park.

There are several part time employees that use these 12 hour meters.

After calling the city and asking why they had removed the 12 hour meters and replaced them with 3 hour meters, I received this response.

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Good afternoon, Viki.

I followed up with Joe Chriest (copied here) and Charlie Cervone from our Public Works Department to review the recent meter changes.  Four of the five 12-hour meters that were on the top deck of the Market Square Ramp were moved to South Main Street (near its intersection with Arch Street) to create longer term parking options there, the need for which was identified by the parking survey.  One 12-hour meter remains on the top deck at this time.  At the time these meters were moved, nine new 5-hour meters were installed on the top deck of the Market Square ramp to accommodate longer term parking needs.  Charlie Cervone reports that twelve new 12-hour meters have been ordered and are expected to arrive within the next two weeks.  When these arrive, several of them will be re- installed on the top deck of the Market Square garage. Recognizing that several part-timers rely on the longer-than-5-hour meters, we will ask our parking enforcement officers not to enforce meter feeders on the top deck until the new 12-hour meters are installed.

Regards,
Andy

On a side note, I did receive an inquiry from Beth Huchert (sp?) at Tattered Corners regarding the whereabouts of the 12-hour meters.  I will let her know that four have been relocated to South Main Street.

Andy Walker
Assistant City Manager/City Clerk

City of Meadville
894 Diamond Park
Meadville, PA  16335

Ph: (814) 724-6000
www.cityofmeadville.org

“Meadville starts with ME!” Be the positive change you want to see in our City.

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My Reply:
Thank you for your reply.

(Charlie Cervone reports that twelve new 12-hour meters have been ordered and are expected to arrive within the next two weeks.  When these arrive, several of them will be re- installed on the top deck of the Market Square garage)

Personally, I do not understand the logic of taking away meters that are being used by one group of people to give it to another group of people. If the employees on South Main have never had 12 hour meters, surly 'they' could have waited the two weeks for the arrival of the new meters.

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And Andy replyed:

It is my understanding that the new 5-hour meters that were installed were initially thought to be 12-hour meters. When it was figured out that they were only 5-hour meters, the plan to locate 12-hour meters on South Main Street had already been communicated to City Council and was blessed by them…in an honest attempt  to create additional longer term parking options in that part of town.  Since the decision had already been made to locate 12-hour meters on South Main Street, four 12-hour meters from the top deck of the Market Square parking garage were “borrowed” to make that happen.  As referenced in my earlier email,  12 more 12-hour meters are on their way, several of which will be located on the top deck of the Market Square parking garage. 

I just hung up from Beth Huchert a few minutes ago.  She requested that we consider placing a few 12-hour meters on lower decks so that those spaces will still be available in the winter months when snow or snow piles prevent top deck spaces from being available. Joe and I will consider that request as well. 

Andy Walker

Assistant City Manager/City Clerk

City of Meadville

894 Diamond Park

Meadville, PA  16335

Ph: (814) 724-6000

“Meadville starts with ME!” Be the positive change you want to see in our City.