New Meters Coming to Easton Starting Friday
City expects new credit card meters, other changes, to begin next month.
Drivers in Easton could start seeing new credit card meters around the city starting Friday.
According to the city parking plan available on the Easton website new meters will start going in downtown in two phases: March 1 to the 15th, March 15th to March 31.
With these changes comes a price increase: it will now cost $1 an hour to park at the meters, up from 50 cents per hour.
The city will put the meters on:
- Northampton Street -- from 2nd to 5th Streets
- North Third Street -- from Centre Square to Spring Garden Street
- Ferry Street -- From South Third Street to Second Street
- Second Street -- From Ferry Street to Northampton Street
During that time, the city will also replace some its existing coin operated meters with newer coin operated meters.
New parking enforcement hours—9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Saturday, noon to 6 p.m. Sunday—will go into effect April 1.
April 1 also marks the start of Easton's new fine reduction program for people who pay their tickets early. If you pay your ticket within 24 hours of getting it, or by close of business on the next day.
Suzanne Conover
9:30 am on Thursday, February 28, 2013
Absolutely crazy! It will cost me $3 to park when I get my hair done downtown. This is going to hurt a lot of businesses!!
Amend Wun
10:45 pm on Thursday, February 28, 2013
I'm not a big fan of the new parking regs either. You can park in the parking garage for $.50/hr now tho, if that helps.
Jimmy Madden
11:42 pm on Thursday, February 28, 2013
I might regret leaving this comment but, a dollar an hour to park is not all that bad. Having the meters upgraded and only charging 50 cents an hour is actually a deal to those who choose to drive into downtown Easton. Ask yourself how many cities offer that rate for parking with digital meters that read credit/debit cards? This also will be more attractive to tourist who will rarely carry cash or change. Tourism is on the rise in Easton and in the end tourism is what some of the businesses make a living off of. If you still do not like it you can always ride a bicycle :) There are shared lanes and many awesome racks around the city you can lock your bicycle up to for free.
Friday
6:10 am on Friday, March 1, 2013
If it takes 3 hours to get your hair done at one of the downtown salons, the cost of parking is probably less than the sales tax on your bill. $1 an hour is relatively light as compared to other towns. Even Wilson Boro has has $1 parking for years in the area surrounding the hospital. And that has a 3 hour limit. Can you imagine having to run out in the middle of a dr appointment to fill the meter? Now THATs crazy! But it happens, it's real, and it's today. Easton has finally fostered a good atmosphere for retail business and needs to be able to sustain it. A little more change in the meter is a very small price to pay. If that's all you have to complain about, you probably have a very good life.