People parking in Bloomington might be saving a few dollars after changes to downtown parking went into effect Monday.
Those changes include a reduction in the hours parking meters are enforced, changes to the ParkMobile app allowing users to pay as they go, and a standardization of free time in the city's parking garages.
So what are people in Bloomington saying about the changes?
Business owners on the square were some of the loudest voices in the debate over parking meter times. Many expressed concerns that the meters were costing them business.
That's why on Monday, they seemed excited about the reduced enforcement hours that changed from 8 a.m. through 10 p.m. to 9 a.m. through 9 p.m.
"I think standardizing the way they handled all the parking garages makes a lot of sense," says Andrew Appel, who owns and manages Goods For Cooks. "It was hard for me to figure out where you got the three hours free and where you didn't... I think making it all more uniform just makes sense because if I have trouble keeping track of it, someone who is just a casual shopper sure isn't going to be able to keep track of it."
Alison Sears, who runs children's boutique O'Child, says she likes the meters but sees how they might be irritating to downtown visitors.
She says she thinks the addition of the meters has encouraged people to fully use the parking time they've purchased when they come to the square.
"If somebody pays the meter, that might encourage them to shop around longer," she says. "But when people get a ticket, that can really deter them."
And it's the cost of those parking tickets — not the cost of parking itself — that have some Bloomington residents still frustrated.
"Ten cents is not the problem," wrote one online commenter, Naomi Posner-Horie. "It's the $20 if you're 10 minutes late!"
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