New Minneapolis Parking Meters To Be Done By October

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The days of using quarters to plug the parking meter are coming to an end in the Twin Cities.

New computer-like machines let people pay with credit cards. By November, Minneapolis will be completely switched over. St. Paul is also in the process of upgrading.

While they're convenient, they are also raking in a lot more money. A few years ago before any of the upgrades, Minneapolis made about $6 million in meter money. Next year, projections put that number at $9 million.

In fact, every single meter is making more money.

"If I use my card to park, it seems like I'm adding more time to it just as a precaution," said one downtown Minneapolis parker.

"The last thing you want is to have a ticket or have your car towed," said another commuter who parks downtown.

The city is finding drivers add more time than they need when they use credit cards, and most aren't checking to see if there's any existing time for their space, which you can't see until you pay. All of the money Minneapolis does make stays in the parking system to pay for roads and sidewalks.

City officials said people can pay the minimum and print to see if there's any time left. That way, you don't have to overpay.