(Sept. 18, 2014) -- Two companies are competing for a chance to provide Portland with new parking meters, and starting this week residents can test the new meters and help the Portland Bureau of Transportation decide which contractor to select.

Four test pay stations, two from each of the vendors that made PBOT’s short list, are available for the public to test. Meters made by Parkeon and Cale America are located on SW Salmon Street, between SW Third and Fourth avenues, just north of Lownsdale Square and on SW Third Avenue, between SW Taylor and SW Salmon streets.

The meters will be available until Oct. 14. Public comment will be accepted until 5 p.m. that day.

Let PBOT know what you think of the two pay station options by completing an online survey at bit.ly/PBOTmeters or filling out a postcard available at the meter. How easy was it to use the pay station? Was your transaction completed as fast as you expected?

Equipment from both manufacturers equipment will be familiar to city users as they have provided meters to the City in the past.  Cale America has more than 1,300 existing pay stations and Parkeon provided the ticket vending machines for the Portland Streetcar.

After receiving public input, PBOT’s selection committee will identify which vendor will supply about 300 parking meters in the new Northwest Portland parking meter district, expected to be installed in early 2015. The established price agreement will also be used for future purchases.

Both pay station options can accept payments by credit card and support the adoption of payment by mobile phone in the future.

Visitors to the test block are reminded that normal parking fees, time limits and periods of enforcement are in effect during the test period. If you are unable to purchase a ticket from one of the test meters, be sure to purchase a ticket from an existing pay station to avoid receiving a citation.

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