Starting May 1, downtown visitors will notice a change in on-street parking procedures. The alteration comes with the introduction of the PayByPhone mobile application, which is set to facilitate parking transactions.
The approval for these changes came in November 2024, when the City Council decided to revamp the municipal parking program. This not only involves a rate increase but also integrates technological advancements intended to modernize transactions in city-managed parking spaces.
The city’s Department of Transportation (DOT) has partnered with PayByPhone, a reputed leader in the parking sector. Through PayByPhone, drivers can manage parking sessions using their phone, eliminating the need for coins. The application also provides the convenience of extending parking time directly through the app rather than revisiting a meter for additional payments.
To begin using the app, new users must set up a PayByPhone account. The process involves three straightforward steps: downloading the app from either Google Play or Apple App Store, registering personal details such as phone number and email, and linking a payment method, either via credit/debit card or through Google or Apple Pay.
Once the app is functional, users must navigate to the parking space, open the app, input the parking location number from signage in the area, and choose the required parking duration.
There is also an option for those not wishing to download the app; they can call the customer service number on PayByPhone parking signs to reserve a session.
Preparation for the May implementation date includes the installation of new PayByPhone parking signs by DOT. These signs not only signify city-managed parking spaces but also provide essential payment and enforcement details.
From May 1, on-street parking rates will rise to $1.50 per hour. Currently, two city-owned parking decks, Cherry/6th/Trade and Fourth and Church, will adopt the PayByPhone system later in the fall, and off-street parking charges will remain $1 per hour.
For detailed information on this initiative and city-managed downtown parking spaces, residents and visitors can refer to CityOfWS.org/DowntownParking.
