CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – The downtown Cedar Rapids parking system is expanding metered pay-by-plate parking areas to include Third Ave SE and the 300 block of First and Fifth Street SE.

In recent years, Park Cedar Rapids has successfully introduced pay-by-plate parking on the Third Avenue Bridge, the ground floor of the South Side Ramp and, in concert with monthly permit parking, on surface Lots 3 and 44. In 2021, the Third Avenue Ramp was converted to pay-by-plate parking.

Beginning Jan. 2, on-street pay-by-plate parking will be extended from the Third Avenue Bridge to Fifth Street SE, and on First and Fifth streets between Third and Fourth avenues. Working in phases over several years, the goal is to expand pay-by-plate parking throughout downtown.

The change will enhance Park Cedar Rapids’ ongoing efforts to operate most efficiently and effectively, officials said. “Pay-by-plate parking has worked well in our other locations, particularly on the Third Avenue Bridge,” said General Manager Ryan Baack. “As workers and visitors return downtown in the coming months, it’s a good time to expand pay-by-plate parking on downtown streets.”

Metered parking will not be enforced in the expanded pay-by-plate parking areas, as signage is installed and meters removed Dec. 26-30. Beginning Jan. 2, parkers utilizing the on-street pay-by-plate parking spaces will enter their license plate and pay for parking upon arrival at a nearby pay station or through pay-by-phone applications Passport Parking or ParkMobile. Utilizing License Plate Recognition (LPR) technology, Park Cedar Rapids will resume enforcing new metered pay-by-plate parking areas on Jan. 2.

To pay for zone parking using the mobile or web app, a user enters the zone number posted on signs around the parking spot and the parking space number or license plate, depending on location, selects the amount of time needed, and touches the "Start Parking" button to begin the session. The user can also extend the time of the parking session (within posted time limits) on their mobile device.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – The downtown Cedar Rapids parking system is proud to announce a new partnership with ParkMobile. ParkMobile will join our current provider, Passport Parking, as a preferred vendor for the pay-by-phone application available at all metered parking locations in downtown Cedar Rapids. ParkMobile and Passport Parking phone app users can pay for on-demand parking at 1,100 on-street and over 2,000 off-street spaces around downtown Cedar Rapids.

“Our goal is to provide convenient, contactless parking options to enhance the downtown Cedar Rapids experience. By partnering with ParkMobile, in addition to Passport Parking, we’re making it easier than ever to find and pay for parking,” said Park Cedar Rapids General Manager Jon Rouse.

ParkMobile is currently used in other cities throughout Iowa including Ames, Davenport, and Sioux City, with over 67,000 registered users in the state of Iowa alone. Cedar Rapids joins a growing number of Midwestern cities implementing ParkMobile, including nearby Des Moines, where ParkMobile will be available soon.

“Partnering with Park Cedar Rapids is exciting for us as our platform is something they’ll be able to use for several types of parking, including metered parking and reserved parking for special events,” added Jeff Perkins, CEO of ParkMobile.

ParkMobile has over 30 million users across North America, is available for both iPhone and Android devices, and can also be accessed on a mobile web browser. To pay for zone parking using the mobile or web app, a user enters the zone number posted on signs around the parking spot and the parking space number or license plate, depending on location, selects the amount of time needed, and touches the "Start Parking" button to begin the session. The user can also extend the time of the parking session on their mobile device.