Downtown rollout of pay-by-phone parking service complete; Expansion now underway in neighborhoods.

CHICAGO – In just over a month, more than 15,000 people are finding it easier and more convenient to pay for parking since signing up for ParkChicago® as expansion of the new pay-by-cell parking service into city neighborhoods has begun.

Since the West Loop pilot program started on April 15, more than 15,000 people have registered for the mobile payment service. ParkChicago® began expanding from its West Loop pilot area on May 6 and recently completed the downtown rollout last week. The service is now available at all metered parking spaces north of Roosevelt Road, south of North Avenue and West to Racine Avenue.

ParkChicago® is an easy and convenient way to pay for parking using your smartphone. Drivers no longer have to visit the meter boxes, place a receipt on their dashboard or hurry back when their meter is about to expire as users can add more time just with a few taps from their phone.

ParkChicago® will now begin expanding from the central business district to the outlying neighborhoods to the North, South and West sides. Park Chicago will be available at all 36,000 metered parking spaces later this summer.

The complete rollout involves replacing the approximately 42,000 street parking signs across the city with new versions bearing the ParkChicago® logo, which alerts drivers to the service’s availability. Meter boxes will remain in place, providing drivers with multiple ways to pay for parking, including coins, credit and debit cards.

To use ParkChicago®, customers must first set up an account linked to a major credit or debit card by using the app, going online to www.parkchicago.com or through their mobile phone. The cost of parking sessions is deducted from an account pre-funded with at least $20, and accounts are automatically replenished when the balance drops below $10, similar to I-PASS, the prepaid collection system used on Illinois tollways.

While drivers can register for the new service at any time, it is recommended that new users wait until ParkChicago® is offered in the area serving their parking needs. New street signs displaying the ParkChicago® logo will alert drivers to the service’s availability.

iPhone and Android users can download the free ParkChicago® mobile app at the App Store or at Google Play. To learn more, visit www.ParkChicago.com.