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.