City Beat: City to innovate parking meters, Birmingham Promise gets $3M boost
The city’s efforts to help its students improve their educational and career prospects is receiving new corporate support, and the Birmingham City Council is seeking to use technological innovation to improve the experience of people parking their cars in the city.
PARKING CHANGES
The Birmingham City Council voted Feb. 25 to amend the city’s parking ordinance to allow for payments to the city’s meters via mobile phones. Members also approved a three-year contract with ParkMobile, the vendor that will process the payments, according to a council news release.
“For a long time we’ve needed to modernize our on-street parking,” said Councilor Darrell O’Quinn, chair of the Transportation Committee.
These changes will be made at no cost to the city by placing signage and stickers on existing meters, according to the release.
People can download the ParkMobile app or call a toll-free number to reserve parking spots. They can add time onto their meters remotely. The meters will also still accept coins.
The modernization was expected to be implemented by the vendor within 60-90 days and should increase collections revenues, officials said.
KEEPING THE PROMISE
Mayor Randall Woodfin announced Feb. 25 that Alabama Power Foundation, Altec\ Styslinger Foundation and Regions would contribute $3 million to the Birmingham Promise.
The program has two components: tuition assistance that covers college and apprenticeships that provide Birmingham high school students with jobs and career experience to prepare them for careers.
“The steps we take today are the building blocks for Birmingham’s future workforce.” Mayor Randall Woodfin said.
Alabama Power CEO Mark Crosswhite, Altec Inc. Chairman and CEO Lee Styslinger III and Regions President and CEO John Turner will also serve as fundraising co-chairs for Birmingham Promise.
Go to birminghampromise.org for more information.
GOING MOBILE
The Zyp BikeShare program in Birmingham, after a five-year project, came to an end in December. But in February, the council voted 8-0 to approve an ordinance to permit and regulate shared micro-mobility device systems, including dockless bikes and scooters, in the city. The ordinance is an amendment to the city’s general code.
Many emerging companies, including tech firms, have “demanded” the city provide these personal transportation options, O’Quinn said.
“For some of the larger employers, they see this as a recruiting and retention tool,” he said.
Vendors seeking to offer micro-mobility services in the city apply to the Birmingham Department of Transportation.