By Joe Napsha

Published: Wednesday, January 23, 2013, 12:01 a.m.
Updated: Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Members of the Latrobe Parking Authority board on Tuesday agreed to buy new parking meter mechanisms and plates designating the increased parking rates for the newly renovated downtown parking garage.

The parking authority, which is responsible for the operation of the garage between Spring and Weldon streets, will use some of the meters that the City of Latrobe plans to purchase from Duncan Solutions Inc. of Milwaukee.

Council last week approved purchasing the mechanisms and meter plates from Duncan for a price not to exceed $150,000. The parking authority will acquire the meters through the city contract.

Alex Graziani, city manager, said the parking garage had about 100 meters before it was closed for renovations in July 2010 and the city has yet to determine the exact number of meters it wants to purchase.

The parking authority proceeded with plans to install the meters, rather than an electronic pay system with gates at the entrances and exits, because the city has not received any indication from the state whether its application for a $1.75 million redevelopment capital assistance program grant will ever be approved.

The electronic gate system costs significantly more than the meters and Graziani said the city could wait no longer for the state to approve the application.

“We were promised that we would hear something in October, November,” Graziani said. “We did not know how we could pay for it,” Graziani said of the electronic gate system.

The authority, which still plans to install security cameras at the garage, is awaiting a phone line connection so that an emergency phone in the elevator at the garage can be connected to an emergency dispatching system.

Joe Napsha is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 724-836-5252 or jnapsha@tribweb.com.

1. Bilik DeFazio leads race for Westmoreland County judge on both ballots
2. Challenger posts stunning upset in Monessen mayoral race
3. Four appear to lock up positions on Norwin School Board
4. Mt. Pleasant mayor victorious
5. South Huntingdon woman accused of stealing from employer
6. Democratic newcomer, incumbents to vie for seats on Latrobe Council
7. Four Greensburg Salem candidates get both parties' backing
8. Incumbents fare well in Latrobe School board balloting
9. Jacobelli bests Carter to win Jeannette mayoral nod
10. Democrats in close race for Greensburg Council nominations
11. Newcomer Kase to join incumbents on Murrysville council ballot

There are currently no comments for this story.
Subscribe today! Click here for our subscription offers.