Parking-by-phone coming to NYC: Mayor de Blasio

New York City residents will soon be able to pay for parking with their cellphones.

Mayor Bill de Blasio has announced that drivers will be able to use their cellphones to pay, add time to meters and receive credit for unused time at the 85,000 metered parking spaces in the city by the end of 2016.

“No more fumbling for change or scrambling to the meter to beat a ticket. This is a 21st century upgrade that is going to make parking a lot more convenient,” de Blasio said in a statement.

With this new technology, drivers will not have to visit the meter to pay, the mayor’s office stated. Traffic enforcement agents will use new tablets to determine how much time a driver has paid for.

“Upgrading these systems will keep New Yorkers moving with a quick swipe or flash of the phone,” ouncilmember Ydanis Rodriguez, chair of the Committee on Transportation said.

Muni-Meters will continue to accept coins, New York City parking cards and credit cards as payment, according to the mayor’s office.

The mayor will deliver the State of the City address, which includes the new parking initiative, this Thursday evening.