Meters

 

In response to the growing problem of parking congestion, Carlton Cole Magee invented the first parking meter in 1932.  The first parking meter in San Francisco was installed at Bush and Polk on August 21, 1947.  Since that time, parking meters have evolved from the original all-mechanical meters to the state of the art electronic meters we use today and have assisted neighborhood merchants by limiting the time a motorist can park in a spot thus causing turn-over and available parking for their customers.

Presently the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency is using two types of meters, the MacKay E-purse Single Space and the Duncan Reino Multi-Space, to monitor approximately 24,000 spaces.  These meters use a quartz timer to keep accurate time; they accept nickel, dimes, quarters, the small dollar coin and prepaid cards as payment.

"Feeding the meter" — adding coins to extend the time beyond the legal limit — is illegal.

Broken Meters

If a meter is broken you are allowed to park at that meter for the posted time limit.

To report broken meters, call 415.920.4090.

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