Parking meters costing more this week

Get ready to feed more quarters into Center City parking meters.

And you'll be paying more in University City, too.

The Philadelphia Parking Authority this week is raising the hourly rates on the 6,100 parking meters in Center City from $1 an hour to $2, said authority spokeswoman Linda Miller.

On July 1, the authority plans to raise the hourly rate to $3, she said.

Rates are not affected in the rest of the city.

As a result of legislation approved by City Council and Mayor Nutter last year, the cost of street parking is going up in Center City and University City for the stated goals of reducing traffic congestion, creating more turnover at meters and encouraging motorists to use parking garages and lots.

The University City rates will go up from $1 to $1.50 per hour this week and $2 an hour come July, Miller said.

Because $2 and $3 amounts to a lot of quarters, the authority is replacing the standalone meters with multi-space kiosks that accept credit cards and authority smart cards.

The kiosks are already in use around Headhouse Square at Second and South Streets and along the most visited sections of South Street.

More kiosks are planned, but "we're still working on getting the multi-space meters in through bid," Miller said.