New Sarasota parking meter on display

Although they will not go online until at least mid-May, the city wanted to show its citizens how to use the new downtown parking meters.

At the same time crews were installing on Pineapple Avenue the stands for the parking meters, city leaders were demonstrating, just outside City Hall, the process for coin and credit- and debit-card payment.

To pay with coins, a driver simply has to enter his space number and insert the coins. For credit and debit cards, the space number is entered as well as the amount of time for which a driver wants to pay.

About 400 downtown parking spaces will be converted into paid-parking spots.

Meters will be installed in an area bounded roughly by Gulfstream Avenue, Orange Avenue, First Street and McAnsh Square.

The cost of on-street parking will be $1 per hour in all areas except Gulfstream Avenue, which will cost 50 cents per hour. Public garage parking will also cost 50 cents per hour.

Drivers with a handicapped permit or license plate on display do not have to pay anything for on-street parking.

Nearly 650 downtown parking spaces will remain free.

Contact Robin Roy at [email protected].