ROYAL OAK, Mich. (WXYZ) — Royal Oak is getting a fresh start with its downtown parking system as new meters arrive ahead of their January 2026 launch.
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The city has received its first batch of parking meters from FlowBird and ParkMobile, which are currently being stored in the police department garage. City Commissioner Monica Hunt provided an exclusive look at the technology that will replace the previous system that faced criticism from residents and visitors.
"This is the same technology that's used in Ferndale and Birmingham now. But it's an easier, simpler meter for residents and visitors of Royal Oak to use when visiting our downtown," Hunt said.
The new system addresses several concerns from the previous parking setup. Users will no longer need to back into parking spaces, as the new meters don't rely on camera technology. The mobile app has been simplified, and payment options now include tap-to-pay, the mobile app, credit cards and coins through kiosks.
Over 100 pay stations will replace the old meters throughout downtown Royal Oak. The police department will continue to enforce parking regulations.
Bob Morton, a longtime Royal Oak resident and co-owner of Lily's Seafood, welcomes the change after experiencing issues with the previous system.
"I think there was a bit of concern that maybe the system just wasn't intuitive, and sometimes be predatory in a way it issued tickets and things like that," Morton said.
Morton has already noticed improvements since the city eliminated back-in parking on Washington Street.
"We feel that's made it easier, people are a little less stressed out coming in, and it's increased a little bit of foot traffic for us too, so it's a good step in the right direction," Morton said.
Hunt reminds residents that two hours of free parking remains available at city decks year-round. The new meters will maintain a three-hour limit with a 15-minute grace period.
The new parking system will officially launch on Friday, January 2.
To learn more, head to the city of Royal Oak's website.
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