By admin 
PHOENIX (AZFamily) — The City of Phoenix confirms between 300 and 500 parking meters are broken. Drivers touch the buttons on parking meters, but the screens stay dark. The city said it is aware of the issue and working to fix it, but there is no timeframe for when repairs will be completed.
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“Trying to park downtown is a little complicated,” said Imani Glover.
Martin Flores said parking downtown is “just very crowded, very strict.”
Kevin Savage encountered the problem firsthand when he pulled into a spot.
“I pulled up and you can’t read anything on this,” Savage said. “I guess there is a phone number to call and there is a coin slot, which I don’t know if I have the coins in there or not.”
Battery shortage delays repairs
The city confirmed the issue is the battery and that the meters are under warranty. An ongoing battery shortage is complicating efforts to replace them.
“I’d say the system is broken and they’re losing a lot of money because that’s the whole purpose of the parking meter, right?” Savage said. “I wonder if I’ll be on Medicare when that happens.”
The city is directing drivers who find broken meters to pay on the mobile app or online. Parking enforcement can see who has paid and who has not.
Arizona’s Family Investigates asked drivers if that’s what they’re doing.
“I stay in the spot and then we just kind of monitor the park,” Glover said.
Samantha Schmitt said, “Sometimes I will stay in the spot if I know I’m not going to be there for long.”
Savage questioned the city’s solution.
“They want you to go online and pay it that way? Where does it say that on here,” he said pointing to the actual meter.
Tickets still possible despite broken meters
In response to our questions, they sent the following statement:
“The City of Phoenix is aware of a recent battery issue impacting some downtown parking meters, causing them to malfunction. Street Transportation staff is actively identifying and replacing batteries in affected meters as they conduct regular collections and maintenance.
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Under Phoenix City Code § 36-154, drivers are responsible for ensuring payment is made and that the meter is functioning properly while parked in a metered space. The ordinance does not provide exceptions for broken or malfunctioning parking meters. If a meter is not operational, drivers are encouraged to move to another available metered space or utilize nearby parking options.
Anyone who encounters a malfunctioning meter can report it by calling 602-261-8090 or emailing [email protected].”
Savage said he decided to leave the spot rather than risk a ticket.
Whether parking enforcement is actually ticketing drivers at broken meters is unclear.
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