Parking Meters Won't Be Put Back On Main Street After Construction

When downtown Rochester's Main Street gets put back together again after the summer reconstruction project, there will be one thing that won't be back where it started from.

The parking meters.

"We're doing a little bit of an experiment," said Rochester City Manager Jaymes Vettraino.

The involves a complete overhaul of downtown from the Clinton River Bridge to the Paint Creek Bridge. It will start sometime next month.

Vettraino said the parking meters downtown are outdated, and there isn't money budgeted right now for their replacement.

Money deposited into parking meters — 25 cents an hour — adds up to $55,000 annually for the city. The cost of replacing the meters would depend on what type of meters are chosen; to replace them with basic meters similar to what is used now would be about $40,000, though smart meters (which use credit cards) would be more costly.

Parking meters along streets not affected by the construction project will remain for now.

"The parking is one piece we've left out in the open, and we're in no rush to figure it out right now," Vettraino said.