Updated February 21, 2023 to reflect current payment options.
Beginning March 2nd, the City of Hood River will launch new ways to pay for on-street metered parking: eliminating “dashboard slips” from the Cale stations, and using parking apps for payment at all metered spots. You can still use coins as in the past, and pay with credit card at a Cale station.
“Pay by Plate” requires users to enter license plate numbers when paying for parking at the Cale pay stations, eliminating the need to return to a vehicle to place a printed receipt on the dashboard.
Parking customers will also have the option of using a smartphone app to pay for parking. Customers may choose from two different apps: Passport Parking, and ParkMobile. Apps enable users to electronically pay for parking without using coins at a meter or pay station.
In order to use an app for parking in Hood River, users download the free app, then create an account with vehicle and payment information. Once set up, they can use the app to pay for metered parking in Hood River. Prompts allow users to choose a vehicle (license plate number), zone area, duration of stay, and card for payment. One advantage of apps is that when time expires, users are notified and have the option of extending the session without having to return to their vehicle as long as they don’t exceed maximum time limits.
“These new downtown systems are intended to make parking easier and more convenient for users,” said Laura Garcia-Rangel of the city’s parking division. “Users will no longer have to feed meters or return to cars after visiting pay stations.” The City of Hood River recently completed a Downtown Parking Study and Plan that recommends implementation of multiple strategies to ease parking constraints in a phased approach. This is one of the recommended strategies.
The parking apps are free to download from the App Store and Google Play, a $0.25 convenience fee per transaction that is retained by each application developer. Users may also manage parking accounts online via each app’s website. For questions or more information, please visit www.cityofhoodriver.gov or call the City of Hood River at (541) 386-1488.