Drivers in downtown Juneau will soon be able to pay for parking at city lots using a new online app that goes live Wednesday.
Juneau Parks and Recreation Director George Schaaf said the app is just one of many changes coming to the city’s parking systems.
“The way we currently and have run parking really hasn’t changed in many decades. And it requires a huge amount of labor on the staff side, and it’s not very convenient for the public,” he said. “So, we’re trying to bring our system up to a more modern standard.”
The app is called ParkSmarter, and it’s free. It lets customers pay with a credit or debit card — and even add time to a parking session. The app will work for downtown lots starting on Wednesday. In May, the city’s public harbors will also use the app.
The cash boxes where customers put coins or bills into slots to pay for parking will go away in the coming weeks. They’ll be replaced with electronic pay stations that accept both coins and cards.
Schaaf said that should be a relief to both customers and the city, as the old boxes are notorious for getting jammed.
“Those boxes required somebody to go and check them every few hours during the day – they were prone to vandalism,” he said. “So now we will be able to accept credit cards, people will be able to extend their parking sessions, from anywhere using their phone, they’ll be able to get receipts and the app will actually notify you and let you know if your parking is about to expire.”
The city is also updating its permitting system. Right now, Juneau residents have to go to City Hall to buy a physical parking permit.
Soon drivers will be able to buy permits online, and they won’t need placards anymore. Instead, cameras will scan license plate numbers as cars enter and exit the parking garages.
The Juneau Police Department’s three-wheeled parking enforcement vehicles will have new cameras on them, too. They’ll be able to note the license plate numbers and location of vehicles parked downtown.
