ITHACA, NY (WSKG) - Parking validation might become easier for customers and clients visiting businesses in downtown Ithaca.
The city's parking garages have new pay systems. They allow businesses to set up an account with the city. With it they can remotely pay a customer's parking, or give them a discount.
Pete Messmer said there willl be four options. Messmer said "When the customer goes back to the garage with the ticket, it’ll show they owe nothing or they’ll owe a less amount depending on what the discount was."
Holly Sincebaugh works for a downtown medical practice near the Ithaca Commons. It’s across from a city parking garage. She said their patients' greatest parking problem won't be solved with new technology.
"A good deal of our patients do have mobility issues." Sincebaugh said. "So, winter time becomes an issue when the patient has a walker or is in a wheelchair and it’s difficult to get them from the parking garage."
The city will have an open house to demonstrate the remote pay technology on Thursday afternoon.