With the original deadline already passed, work crews seem to be struggling to complete rate changes on parking meters in a timely manner.
Originally, Chicago Parking Meter LLC had set a deadline of March 9th to have all 36,000 plus meters adjusted for the higher rates and the decals outlining the changes to days and hours operation affixed to each meter head.
But a spot check of parking meters at locations around the city seem to show that the new lessee woefully underestimated how long the process would take. While many meters have been changed over, there seems to be an equal amount of meters still sporting the old meter rates and operation days and hours.
No one for the company would go on the record with even an approximate deadline, despite a multitude of calls and e-mails sent to both Morgan Stanley and LAZ Parking management.
“There’s no firm date at this time,” is all this writer could get out of Morgan Stanley PR spokesperson Carissa Ramirez.
Crews of 10-12 meter technicians have been spotted along Irving Parking Rd., and Milwaukee Ave. over the past few days, slowly working their way down the street.
When one meter technician, who refused to be identified, was asked about an estimated deadline, he just laughed and said, “hopefully by April.”
Considering there are more than 36,000 parking meters city wide, the original three week timetable for completing the meter conversion seems outrageously unrealistic when one considers 1500 meters a day would have to be changed to meet that goal.
Based on simple observation, of how many meters are changed vs. unchanged, our uneducated guess is that the meter conversion process will be finished by mid to late April and perhaps, in a worst case scenario, finishing up in early May. This makes it a full five months from when the lease deal was approved to begin by the Chicago city council to final completion of meter rate changes.
In the meantime, driver confusion seems to be high, judging by the volume of e-mails this website receives.
And the confusion is not limited to drivers only, as one reader reported being ticketed at a meter for an expired meter, which still had the Monday-Saturday decals on the meter head.
It is important that drivers should just take the time to read each meter very carefully and act accordingly.
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This doesn’t surprise me at all. What surprises me, is that LAZ has to use our Main Office. You would think that if they could afford to lease the meters, that they could also afford their own office space. Considering that the city is cash strapped, I hope they are charging rent to this company.
1st of all i think that Laz is doing a good job. All things take time. Don’t get mad just park legal and you will not have to worry about anything. Its going to go on so why not work together and stop pouring salt on each other. So far as the office space that is being used why complain its not hurting anyone.
I’ve taken to stuffing as many pennies as I have available in the meters with the new rates. I hate pennies and I hate LAZ so I figure it works out well. Plus the guys that empty them will be toting around a bunch of nearly worthless pennies.
To some one:
1. use your real name or you have no credibility
2. a private company should not get free rent from the city. If the city is willing to house for profit corporations for free then I have a few offices I’d be happy to save renting.
3. Dummy
John-
Just as an FYI, I don’t think there is any law on the books that prevents someone from putting pennies in the meters. I need to look at the law a bit more closely, but if it’s legal, I don’t see why feeding pennies into the meters wouldn’t be considered a legitimate form of protest.
Thanks for the comments/input by the way.
To J. Fitzgerald well i see what type of person you are but thats cool God still will bless you and yeah you are right that i am a dummy because if i was smart i would not even be on this site so i guess thats it. you have a blessed day and try not to judge peolpe you don’t know and stop the hate it will not get you any where. Oh and use your offices to help some one.
Hey Some One-
Thanks for your comments.
Do you work for LAZ?
If so, any advice, input, news or information is always appreciated.
Feel free to e-mail us at:
info@theexpiredmeter.com
Yes, I agree that some one is probably a Morgan Stanley/LAZ employee. Get off this website you narc wannabee. We will demolish your meters in due time. rofl.
No. This might be my last time on your site. Have a good one
Can someone say cat fight? Nobody is excited about the meter deal. If they (the city) wanted hire more ticket writers than that’s one thing. Selling the meters to a company who jacked up the prices on everything is insane. Besides the high taxes (which are going up, thanks Pat Quinn and Daley and Stroger) and the meter crunch, we are going to lose revenue from people that decide to visit and/or shop elsewhere.
Amen Mike. Amen.
[...] operational partner, had to change the rates on over 36,000 single (or double) space meters, it took much longer than expected. Originally, LAZ thought it would take three to four weeks to complete the transition. Eventually, [...]