Township's 'Free 10' Parking Meters Are a Hit with Shoppers, Business Owners

Lower Merion Township's new “free 10” parking meters, installed in February, have been a big hit with consumers and businesses, according to numerous interviews with both. 

More than 1,400 new meters are in place, and shop owners are pleased with their results.

“The free 10 feature is a huge help for customers,” said Budo Bunul, of on Lancaster Avenue. “They can come in and grab a coffee or something and not have to worry about change for the meter. I have seen an increase in business.”

Officials say the new meters, installed over the winter at a cost of about $673,000, have increased business traffic and given customers a little benefit when shopping or doing business in Lower Merion Township.

“We have had an excellent response from businesses and the civic groups,” Tom Pintande, director of parking services for the township. “It’s a win-win situation.”

“The new meters are working out very well,” agreed Christine Vilardo, executive director of the . “Coupled with our ‘We Make Change for Meters’ fliers in merchant windows, the free time button helps folks avoid parking tickets while running to get change, or just make a quick stop somewhere.” 

Vilardo is excited for the new smart card feature to arrive as well. “It will be even easier to park and will allow merchants, if they choose, to pay for their customers’ parking,” she said. “Some merchants do this already by supplying coins for their customers.”

 Pintande said he’d like the smart card feature available by September. It is scheduled to be presented to the township’s Police Committee in July, and after that it would go to the full Board of Commissioners for approval.

If approved, the smart cards would be on sale at the township's Public Safety Building, next door to the main administration offices. They would be sold in varying amounts from $5 to $100. (If you lose a card, by the way, you’d be out of luck—there are no refunds or replacements given.)

Once the smart card is inserted into the meter, it removes time in half-hour increments. A consumer would be able to insert the card to check her balance before the meter starts, and—get this—the system allows for a refund for unused parking time.

 Andrew Brunner, who works at , had just hit the free 10 button as Patch approached him for his opinion.

“What’s not to like? It’s great,” Brunner said. “I use it all the time.”

Don Bradley, originally from Ardmore, now lives in Center City, where metered parking is a contact sport. He was unaware of the free 10 feature until Patch informed him, but liked it immediately. “It’s a good idea, and I bet it helps businesses too,” he said.

While the township has distributed information and press releases on the free 10 feature, Christine Vilardo says Bradley is not the only customer still unaware of the feature, or how to use it.

Katrina Conway, manager of on Lancaster Avenue, called the free 10 program “fantabulous!” and said her customers use it all the time. “But a lot of people still don’t know about it. I am still telling a lot of customers about it.” 

The meters are thought to be the only ones of their kind installed in the region. Pintande consulted with the parking director of downtown Cincinnati, which has had 1,800 such free 10 meters for years. Closer to home, Lehigh University uses the system as well.

Even more convenient systems are already in use in towns like Vancouver, Akron (is Ohio a parking meter innovation center?), and Washington, D.C., where parkers can pay by cell phone, by punching in a meter’s ID number. When the meter is about to expire, the meter sends a warning, via text message.

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An important tip for those new to the meters: the free 10 feature is only given if there is no time on the meter, and if the “free time” button is pushed before you insert money into the meter.