MACON — You mostly associate parking meters with larger cities like Atlanta or New York, but starting next month, Macon will be joining them.
You see it all the time in downtown Macon -- cars driving up and down the streets searching for parking, but starting in July, parking meters will line the streets.
Willie Turner lives downtown and said the meters will not help the congestion.
"It still won't take care of the flow of traffic that comes and in out of downtown," Turner said.
Amanda Cohen, assistant manager of Oliver's Bistro, said the meters will bring in more business, getting come customer in and out a little sooner.
"It can help us get a higher turnover rate, that could be good," Cohen said.
That's why Alex Morrison, head of the Bibb County Urban Development Authority, said these meters will help.
"We have decided to put in a plan of on and off-street parking management, [It] was necessary to continue supporting business growth," Morrison said.
Starting July 1, Lanier Parking will oversee payment and enforcement. They will enforce parking Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
According to Morrison, once those parking meters are installed by July 1, you will only be able to park for a maximum of three hours downtown.
The price is going to be $1.25 an hour. If you choose to park in a garage, the price will remain at $1.00 an hour.
When you park downtown you will pay one of the meters using coins, a debit or credit card to pay.
"There will be charges for overtime parking, expired meter, parking over a line, parking incorrectly in a space. If you park on the sidewalk you're going to get a ticket," Morrison said.
According to Morrison, when machines start July 1, there will be an initial warning period before they begin fully enforcing parking violations.