High-tech upgrade appears on the way for Cedar Rapids parking system

CEDAR RAPIDS - The city is taking a next step in its attempt to upgrade its downtown parking ramps with newer technology that is designed to maximize the use of the ramps while automating how people pay to park.

The City Council on Tuesday evening was slated to seek proposals for a Parking Access and Revenue Control System (PARCS). The estimated cost for such a system is $1.4 million.

The move comes as the city prepares to hand over the management oversight of the city's downtown parking operation to the Cedar Rapids Downtown District as soon as September.

Doug Neumann, president/CEO of the Downtown District, this week said the PARCS system will improve technology, enhance revenue controls and allow for the expanded use of the city's parking ramps.

By his way of thinking, the goal is to have a cashier-less ramp system in the future.

With the new system, people will pay with parking cards, credit or debit cards or with cash. As a result, ramps will be able to stay open longer and, with a few key strokes, the parking operation will be able to change the parking rates for specific evening events, Neumann noted.

Neumann said the Downtown District expects to keep Republic Parking Systems as the private management firm operating the parking system. The city brought Republic on board a year ag