ParkMobile is now one of the options for paying for parking in West Hartford Center and Blue Back Square.

By Ronni Newton

The Town of West Hartford recently added ParkMobile as one of the apps that can be used for paying for parking in West Hartford Center and Blue Back Square garages and surface lots as well as for on-street parking spaces where charges apply.

“ParkMobile gives residents, visitors, and customers more convenient, flexible ways to pay for parking using their mobile device,” Parking Operations Manager Mike Kipphut said in an announcement of the new payment method. ParkMobile – which is owned by the same parent company – replaces the Flowbird app, which was previously an option for parking in West Hartford.

Passport Parking continues to be available as an option, and the town is also offering new “Scan to Pay” and “Text to Pay” options – which are posted on the kiosks – which avoid the need to download an app or create an account.

“ParkMobile, like other mobile parking payment apps, does charge a service fee. The current ParkMobile service fee is $0.20 per transaction,” Kipphut said. Passport Parking charges a service fee of $0.35 per session.

Hourly parking rates are the same regardless of the form of payment, and the service fee is only charged when the parking session begins. As long as the session is extended before it expires, no additional service fee is charged.

As part of the rollout, new and updated parking signage is being installed throughout West Hartford’s municipal parking garages, surface lots, and on-street parking areas reflecting the available payment options. Zone numbers and instructions are posted on the kiosks.

Cash is still available as an option for use at the kiosks, which accept U.S. coins. There is no service charge when cash is used.

Signage has been updated on kiosks, such as this one on LaSalle Road, indicating the methods that can be used for paying for parking in West Hartford. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Zone numbers, which are posted on kiosks, include:

• 860 (on-street parking)
• 475 (Brace Road, Farmington Avenue, and Town Hall surface lots)
• 203 (Isham and Memorial garages)
• 102 (102 LaSalle Road lot, behind the LaSalle Road Post Office)

You can park for free for 30 minutes in one of the surface lots in the 475 zone, but need to input your license plate at one of the kiosks to activate that option. If you are going to the Noah Webster Library and park at the Isham Garage, head straight to the library and your parking will be validated there.

“The introduction of ParkMobile and these additional mobile payment options are part of the town’s continued effort to modernize its municipal parking system and make paying for parking easier and more convenient for the community,” the announcement of the new app states.

Any questions can be directed to the Municipal Parking Division at 860-561-8220 or [email protected].

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