Parking meter problems in downtown Clarksville have caused some frustrations for drivers, and cost the city money.
Sensors on 63 of the 217 digital smart meters have malfunctioned have caused the city to miss out on parking revenue.
“This is costing the city a few hundred dollars a month,” said Richard Stevens, Communications Director for the City of Clarksville. “It is a problem we want to fix.”
Stevens said the city has missed out on around $5,000 in parking revenue over the last six months.
Each parking spot has an underground sensor that activates the one hour of free parking when a car pulls into the space.
Stevens said the solution could be expensive. It would cost around $300 per machine to replace the sensors and the wiring. However, the city is considering various options including just replacing the battery. He said the city is working with the vendor to solve the problem.
“We want to work with merchants,” said Stevens. “We want to be friendly to our residents. We want economic activity downtown.”
The meters were installed in 2014, in an effort to provide visitors with one hour of free parking. The city hoped it would attract more people to downtown.
People who work downtown, like Kim McDowell, a stylist at Isabella Sophia salon, said finding parking in downtown can be difficult.
“The meters, sometimes they work, and sometimes they don’t,” said McDowell. “We often have customers who come in and say the meter isn’t working.”
Stevens said the Parking Commission is exploring the best, and most cost-effective solution to the problem. Right now, it’s unclear what the total cost will be.
