The Key To Paying The Parking Meter Is A Key
I’ve heard of a key to the city but I recently learned some cities offer keys to parking meters:
Both Springfield IL and Champaign IL offer keys to people to use to pay parking fees. From Champaign’s CaskKey website:
What is the CashKey?
The CashKey is a programmable key that provides a cashless way to pay at parking meters. The CashKey can be carried on your key chain and eliminates the need to carry coins for the meters.
CashKeys can be used at any City of Champaign, City of Urbana or University of Illinois parking meter. Each key carries three accounts (a separate one for each parking provider) and $10 to $100 of value can be purchased for use at each type of meter.
How to Use a CashKey:
The CashKey functions like an American quarter. The first time the key is inserted into a meter, the amount of value on account for that parking provider is displayed. Each subsequent time the key is inserted is like depositing a quarter into the meter providing the user with the minutes of parking in accordance with the rate posted at each meter. For example, at a $.75 per hour meter, each insertion will provide 20 minutes of time at the meter; at a $.25 per hour meter, an insertion will provide one hour worth of parking time. The CashKey will not register more than the posted time allowed for that meter, but it will continue to deduct $.25 from the account each time it’s inserted. If the key is left inserted for more than 5-seconds, the meter will flash in the out-of-order mode until the key is removed. This is to alert the user in case the CashKey is inadvertently left in the meter.
The CashKey doesn’t guarantee you a parking space. Parking meter spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis. The CashKey can be used in conjunction with coins.
Purchasing a CashKey and/or Time:
The initial cost of the key is $19.50 and $10 to $100 of time can be purchased for each parking provider. Keys and/or time can be purchased at the following locations:
* City of Champaign Parking Programs Office (713 Edgebrook Dr.)
* City of Champaign Finance Department (2nd floor of City Building, 102 N. Neil St.)
* City of Urbana Finance Department (400 S. Vine St, Urbana)
* University of Illinois Facilities and Services Parking Department (1110 W. Springfield Ave.)
* Purchases must be made in person at one of the above locations. There is not an online purchase or reloading option.If you find you aren’t using time loaded for one meter provider, the value can be transferred over to a different one.
I like this idea as a way to make it easier to ensure you have the ability to pay the meter.
– Steve Patterson
I had one when I lived in Denver. I used it a lot and I liked it a lot, but it's my undertsanding that they're phasing them out in favor of smart cards: http://www.denvergov.org/Parking_Management/Cas…
I'd imagine cards being easier to deal with. We just need to have something – anything – beyond having rolls of quarters in your car to pay for parking. People don't mind paying, it just has to be more convenient.
Actually, their new Smart Meters seem pretty cool: http://www.denvermeter.com/
I was just in South Florida (Ft. Lauderdale and Miami). and there you could pay meters by phone. each meter had a location code on it. you just called the number, entered the location code, and then your credit card info. my favorite is definitely still the pay and display format ala Chicago
Clayton used to, and perhaps still does, have a program like this. They were advertising it when I lived there 4 or 5 years ago, although I can't find any info on their website about it today. But page 4 of http://www.ci.clayton.mo.us/FileSystem/Page129/… from 2005 has info on the program.