Worcester Plans Major Downtown Parking Overhaul

WORCESTER, MA — Pretty soon, it'll be impossible to find a parking space in Worcester.

That's because the city plans to switch to a new parking system that eliminates single-spot parking meters in favor of kiosks that cover multiple parking spaces. The new kiosks were set to be first installed in the Canal District on Tuesday, but won't be operational until the end of April.

The parking kiosks will be familiar to anyone who's parked in Boston recently. Instead of paying for a space, drivers enter their license plate number in the kiosk and pay for a set period of time. Typically, a single kiosk will cover an entire city block.

The kiosks are one part of a major parking overhaul in Worcester. City Manager Edward Augustus Jr. soon plans submit plans to City Council to approve changes to the parking ordinance and to allow a pay-by-app parking option, according to his office.

Augustus is also working on a parking plan for the area near Polar Park. Fans could begin to attend WooSox games as soon as May, sapping parking spots in the crowded Canal District during games.

Worcester will soon begin a PR push around the new parking system, including radio and internet ads, a new website and parking ambassadors, according to city officials.