The Portland Bureau of Transportation in partnership with Portland State University and Portland Parks & Recreation launched Parking Kitty, a new mobile parking payment app.
Users who download Parking Kitty onto their smart phones will no longer need to pull a paper receipt from a City of Portland parking kiosk. Users simply need to enter the parking zone and their license plate number into the app. The app also allows users to remotely monitor how much time they have left and extend their parking time up to the maximum allowed in the parking zone.
"We want it to be easy to pay for parking in Portland. We also want it to be fun. Parking Kitty helps us do both. As a mobile app, it makes it convenient for Portlanders and visitors to pay for parking. We chose the name to reflect some of our city’s creativity and hopefully bring a smile to Portland’s drivers,” said Portland Bureau of Transportation Director Leah Treat. “We want it to be simple and efficient to find and pay for parking because well-managed on-street parking is good for drivers, good for business and good for our transportation system.”
“Portland Parks & Recreation has seen great success with Passport Parking's app used in our Washington Park, and we're excited to join PBOT in rolling out the second generation app, Parking Kitty,” says Portland Parks & Recreation Director Mike Abbaté. “With this new app, visitors can park and enjoy all the world-class attractions of Washington Park without running back to the meter to add more time.”
"Portland State is very excited to be a partner in this innovative new app that creates a simple and efficient way for our students, faculty, staff and guests to pay for parking," said Ian Stude, PSU Transportation and Parking Services Director. "Parking Kitty makes on-demand parking easier for the PSU community -- many of whom drive infrequently and walk, bike, or use public transportation to get to campus."
Besides the PSU parking garages and Washington Park, Parking Kitty users will also be able to use the app in all of the City of Portland’s parking districts, including Downtown, Northwest, Marquam Hill, the Lloyd District and the Central Eastside Industrial District.
The name Parking Kitty is a play on the meaning of kitty as a pool or reserve of money. It is also a nod to the Portland’s well-known reputation as a cat-friendly community.
The app is available for both iPhones and Android devices. Users will be charged a ten cent convenience fee to use the app to pay for a parking session.
Source: Portland Bureau of Transportation