Danbury set to implement new technology for downtown parking
DANBURY — The city’s parking garages will soon have new technology that is meant to be more convenient for drivers.
Danbury City Council approved this week revisions to the parking ordinances that will allow the Danbury Parking Authority to install this new technology.
At the Patriot and Bardo garages, drivers will input their license plate and payment into a kiosk or new mobile app, rather than paying an attendant. Cameras will recognize the license plate of permit holders. Kiosks will be installed for street parking.
Staff will act as security at the garages and patrol the streets, instead of sitting in the booths.
With more than 1,500 parking spaces in downtown Danbury, the staff are needed on the streets, said Debbie Pacific, director of the Danbury Parking Authority, a quasi-municipal agency in charge of the garages, meters and public lots downtown.
“They won’t just be sitting there, which is truly very often a waste of their time when they’re no customers coming and going,” she told City Council. “They’ll just be walking around. They’ll be doing maintenance. They'll be doing cleaning. They’ll be doing security, so it’ll be more coverage.”
The city had already approved $100,000 from its capital budget for the project, while the authority will contribute an additional $10,000. Pacific had said last month that she hoped the technology would be in place by Nov. 1.
The hope is that the investment will over time help drive up parking revenue, which has declined due to COVID-19.
Prices remain the same for permits — $55 a month — and street parking — a $1 an hour. But the authority is considering changing prices at the garage. Those rates could go from $1.50 an hour to $1 for 40 minutes.
The parking authority has 10 employees, with two on the administrative side, one on maintenance and seven who patrol the garages and streets, Pacific said. No one will be laid off due to the technology.
“Everyone’s jobs are secure, safe,” she said.
That was important to council member Robert Taborsak, who said the staff have always been kind when he’s parked there.
“When I've used the parking garages, I found when people are there, they’re very pleasant and so forth,” he said.
“The human element is important to be considered.”
Gloss