PITTSTON -- In just a few weeks, people parking in Pittston won't need to worry about having spare change. Pittston is updating its parking in a way city officials say no other municipality in northeastern Pennsylvania has done before.
There are few things more frustrating than seeing the red "expired" sign where you've parked your car downtown. In Pittston, the old meters are on their way out, and pay stations are moving in.
"Convenience, access, usability for the people that are utilizing the lots, we just thought it made sense," said Redevelopment Authority vice president Michael Lombardo.
Lombardo from the Redevelopment Authority says the four pay stations will be put in the center city parking lots, the William Street lot, and the YMCA lot. They will accept coins, as well as debit and credit cards.
This YMCA parking lot is just one of the lots that would switch from meters to pay stations. Some people in the city think this is a great idea. Others are a little skeptical.
"I'm not a person that always remembers to have change in their purse. I think it's a great idea. It'll make life simpler for people," said Patricia Klimash, of Jackson Township.
"It would be a learning curve, absolutely. I don't think the older people would go for it. I'm used to meter parking and i probably would stick to the meter parking. I don't particularly care to use my credit card to park my vehicle," said Robin Kosick, of Exeter.
Meters will remain on streets downtown, but if the pay stations do well in the parking lots, the city might purchase more. It's sign of the times in Pittston.
"As we move forward and do more modernization of downtown, our parking should reflect those similar thoughts," said Lombardo.
At the same time, Pittston is expanding one of its downtown lots and adding another 80 spaces. The new pay stations should be in place by the end of the month.