Time to Ditch Old Parking Meters in Charleston?

Charleston's downtown is a unique blend of history and modernity. The streets are lined with old buildings, but they also have around 1,200 outdated parking meters. The city is considering a change.

Mayor's Vision

Mayor William Cogswell wants to move away from these old meters. He suggests using apps or QR codes for parking, like many other cities.

City Council's Discussion

The city council is discussing this idea. They plan to talk more about it soon.

Current Issues

The current parking meters are causing problems. A company called Flowbird was hired to fix them. But they had issues with supplies, shipping, and even hurricanes. This led to many broken meters and lost money for the city.

Potential Changes

The new system might not change parking garages. It could help enforce parking rules better on residential streets. The city wants to make sure people can pay easily. They don't want to charge more. The goal is to manage parking fairly and encourage people to visit downtown.

Benefits of the New System

A new system could also provide better maps. This would help drivers find parking spots. It could make it easier to:

• Renew parking permits
• Appeal tickets

Charleston loves its history, but it's time to update the parking system.