Parking kiosks expired before their time

Aug. 15, 2014

The town of Palm Beach City, Fla., is planning to replace older parking kiosks with smarter ones,according to the Palm Beach Daily News.

The 37 kiosks installed in 2008 had a 10-year life expectancy and cost the town approximately $312,000. The staff parking committee is looking to purchase replacements with up-to-date technology that are user- and smartphone-friendly for checking parking status via real-time mobile apps. Solar power and faster wireless connections are also on the committee's wish list.

Deputy town manager and parking committee chairman Tom Bradford said a better kiosk can range in individual cost from $10,000 to $15,000 or more.

"A kiosk is basically a modern outdoor vending machine that is attached to a cellphone and a personal computer inside a steel container in a hot, humid, saltwater environment," Bradford said in the article. "That being the case, I think it is unrealistic to think they are going to last for 10 years at a maximum level of performance."

Committee staff is collecting bids for proposals and installation is expected to take place in summer 2015.