Vandergrift officials report that the process of removing parking meters from residential streets is underway.
Police Chief Joe Caporali said meters in the residential sections of McKinley, Franklin and Washington avenues have or will be removed by borough employees as time allows.
In addition, meters between Columbia and Franklin avenues are set to be removed.
“At one time when the business (district) was thriving, meters were installed on residential streets to deter employees from parking in residential areas — and at one time there were businesses in those areas. Council felt the residents shouldn’t be penalized,” Caporali said.
About 45 parking meters will be removed, he said. All told, there were about 300 in the borough.
Vandergrift Mayor Lenny Collini said all of the parking meters along Columbia and Grant avenues, located in the business district, are now recertified and in working order.
“That’s a residential area off of Grant, and we’re getting rid of most of these meters that are in a residential area. I don’t think it’s fair that you should be paying for parking and it’s in front of your house,” Collini said.
But Collini dispelled rumors that parking meters would be removed from the business district. He said parking must remain controlled there.
“You cannot take the meters out of the commercial area,” Collini said. “There’s no way that can happen. You go to any place in America where there’s a commercial place, there’s going to be meters there.”
The parking meters are enforced from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, Caporali said.
The borough has been without a parking meter officer for several years.
Council hired Bethany Allera as a part-time police officer this week, and she and other day-shift officers will be responsible for issuing parking citations.
Because of budgetary restraints, Caporali said, there are no plans to hire a parking meter attendant.
In February, council voted to increase parking fines for an expired meter from $3 to $5.
Many of the repaired meters previously were unreadable because their glass was clouded.
“They’re (now) clear, and you can see through them,” Collini said. “If any of them are broke, busted or change is stuck in there, call down here at the borough.”
Residents can report meter issues to the borough by calling 724-567-7818.
“We’ll fix it,” Collini said. “You gotta let us know.”
In March, the Westmoreland County Bureau of Weights and Measures ordered borough officials to cover all of the meters with plastic bags because they had not been certified by parking meter inspectors.
In addition, Collini reminded residents to obey state parking laws when parking.
“We need to be a little more ahead of that,” Collini said. “State law says you have to park in the flow of traffic and not in the yellow zones. There’s a reason why it’s painted yellow.”
