Overview:
Athol's downtown metered areas now have a ParkMobile app-based parking system, allowing drivers to pay for parking using their phones. The system, which took about a year to roll out, does not replace coin-fed meters, which will remain in use alongside the new system. Parking rates remain at 50 cents per hour with a two-hour limit, but users who pay through the app will be charged an additional 40-cent transaction fee per session.
ATHOL – After months of delays, Athol’s ParkMobile app-based parking system is now live in downtown metered areas, giving drivers the option to pay for parking using their phones.
“Everything is all set up now…anybody who has a ParkMobile app can go in based upon where they’re parked in the areas that are metered – they’re kind of numbered sequentially,” said Director of Planning and Community Development Eric Smith.
The system launched April 8 after a rollout process that took about a year, as town officials worked to establish parking zones and install signage throughout downtown before it could go live.
“Between the construction season and the bad winter weather, it just took forever to kind of get that together,” Smith said.
The app does not replace coin-fed meters, which will remain in use alongside the new system.
Metered parking areas along Main, Exchange, South and nearby streets are now organized by zone, with each block assigned a number displayed on posted signs and individual meters. Additional signage includes information on how to download the ParkMobile app, along with QR codes to help users access it.
Drivers can enter the zone number in the app, select how long they plan to park and complete payment through their mobile device. The app also allows users to manage parking sessions without returning to their vehicle.
Smith said parking rates remain at 50 cents per hour with a two-hour limit. Users who choose to pay through the app will be charged an additional 40-cent transaction fee per session.
Town officials plan to monitor usage by comparing digital payments with traditional meter collections, which typically bring in $1,500 to $2,000 per month depending on the season. Smith said the data will help determine how widely the app is being used as more drivers begin to adopt the system.
“We can kind of compare that to how much coins are being collected and what the trends are going forward,” Smith said.
The system is currently limited to downtown metered spaces, he said, with no immediate plans to expand it elsewhere.
“It’s a nice, convenient way for people to come downtown,” Smith said.
More information about the ParkMobile system is available on the town of Athol’s website.