Street parking in Cleveland up for potential makeover

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - The City of Cleveland announced Wednesday that they will be partnering with two vendors to modernize street parking in the city, according to a press release.

Flowbird and ParkMobile were chosen to upgrade parking across the city with smart meters and mobile parking payment, the release says.

Officials say Flowbird will be replacing coin operated meters with smart parking meters.

ParkMobile will allow customers to pay for their parking through an app, text or scanning a QR code, the release says.

“This project will provide more convenient and accessible parking options for all who spend time in Cleveland’s commercial and cultural centers,” said Mayor Justin M. Bibb. “Smart parking is a significant step towards my administration’s vision to modernize operations across the city.”

Officials say the total estimated cost of the project will be just over $5 million including the cost of equipment, software, and tools for monitoring.

In the coming weeks, the Bibb administration will put forth legislation to Cleveland City Council for approval of the contracts with Flowbird and ParkMobile, the release says.

Officials say after passing through council, the contracts will require administrative approval from the Consultant Review Committee and the Board of Control.

It is estimated that both the software and equipment will be ready for public use within six months of the agreements being signed.