Cars found at expired meters will get $40 tickets starting in February, up from $30, Cambridge’s Department of Transportation told city councillors on Monday.
Parking fines were last increased in 2019, when tickets went from $25 to $30.
Transportation commissioner Brooke McKenna offered a small consolation to drivers: the city has added the Pay By Phone app, in addition to the Passport Parking app. “In different municipalities, different parts of the country, people have different apps on their phone. This makes it easier if someone comes to Cambridge,” McKenna said.
“As much as I still keep a few quarters in the car,” said councillor Patty Nolan – taking pains to emphasize that she usually rides a bike – “it’s really important that we understand that we continue to increase ways to make it easier so people don’t get tickets.”
McKenna said the city did look at ticket costs in other communities. A supporting memo said the new fine brings Cambridge in line with Boston and is still below fine amounts in Somerville.
Those communities help people avoid tickets by letting drivers use debit and credit cards to pay, said councillor Ayesha Wilson. She noted that Cambridge meters don’t have card readers, so she would vote against the fee increase. “I’ve heard from neighbors that if they don’t have space on their phones where they can add another app, then that definitely becomes an equity issue,” Wilson said.
Cambridge considered meters with card readers years ago and rejected them, McKenna said. Replacing all of Cambridge’s meters would be expensive. The city would also have to pay pricey fees to card providers every month. Apps, she said, can be added at “basically no cost” to the city. Cards are accepted in municipal parking lots.
The council’s vote to accept McKenna’s report went 7-1, with Wilson opposed and councillor Burhan Azeem absent. Mayor E. Denise Simmons said she was a weak yes, suggesting to McKenna that “if we need to derive revenue, maybe find another way.”
“We revisit the cost of our parking violations regularly to ensure that they continue to reinforce positive parking behavior. Enforcing meters and time limit restrictions ensures that we have turnover in our parking spaces, supporting businesses and providing parking for as many residents and visitors as possible,” McKenna wrote in her memo. “The increase in fine revenue from this change will also support the important work we are undertaking to make our streets safer and plan for the transportation challenges we will face in coming years.”
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This should not be 40 bucks for a few minute violation. Also if we are on the make cars pay we have to also think about the other users competing for storage and transit lanes. The council is opening up a can of worms.
Tech that tracks people?
Not in Cambridge!
Unless it helps us know exactly when a meter expires in order to more efficiently route our ticket writers…
If the ticket costs are too low, people will just park there all day. Why would visitors bother with a parking garage in Harvard Square if they can pay the same amount for a ticket and park on the street.
We want people to be incentivized to move their cars from metered spots after a couple hours. It’s when no one moves their car that it’s impossible to find a spot.
Traffic laws and parking regulations are not gentle suggestions – break the law, pay the fee. And for all the constant whining and sense of entitlement people have about public (I repeat: public) parking spaces, you’d think drivers would want to make sure others aren’t hoarding what many consider to be such a precious resource. Other drivers don’t know what is “a few minute violation” or not, they just don’t get access to a parking spot and maybe don’t shop at that local business because they don’t want to pay $20 for a parking garage for 10 minutes of shopping. People literally get in fist fights and damage property over parking spaces. People say they don’t care about safety for other. Maybe a reminder that parking is a public resource – not just “your” parking space – will benefit all drivers.
Give me a break “not enough space” on your phone is not a serious argument, it’s just another excuse to avoid paying the meter. Metered spaces help make sure small businesses have parking available.
When Councilor Wilson and Mayor Simmons fought to keep all the residential permit spaces on Main Street, businesses like Bred lost all the meter access they had for customers. Ask the owners, they are not happy to lose those meters. I just hope they realize who did it to them.
Good.
Break the rules pay a meaningful fine.