New parking meters open on Mass Avenue

In a 50-year parking meter lease with a trio of vendors dubbed ParkIndy, the city will receive $20 million up front and will get a share of revenue over time -- estimated at $363 million to $620 million. By state law, those proceeds must be spent on street improvements and infrastructure in the meter zones.

Parking meters installed today along Mass Ave will serve multiple spaces and accept both credit cards and coins. The three multi-meter boxes will serve a total of 39 spaces.

City officials say they are easy to use: Just head to pay at the meter box, enter your parking space's number and add time using plus or minus buttons.

The price is still $1 an hour from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

"The ParkIndy team is proud to be able to modernize parking and bring convenient alternatives to motorists in Indianapolis," project manager Adam Isen said.

Throughout the week, ParkIndy "ambassadors" will be available near the new meters to help customers with any questions. The "ambassadors" will be identifiable by wearing neon green T-shirts.

Multi space meters also will be installed Downtown and in Broad Ripple. In the third phase -- possibly by year's end -- residential meters will be replaced.