WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — Hartford started installing parking meters downtown back in December, when winter’s grip was beginning to cake the sidewalks with ice and snow.
Even with an eight-month lead time, the new system wasn’t working properly when it officially launched last week, to the delight of some and the consternation of others.
With a couple of tweaks, everything is running as it should.
“Every other place I’ve lived, every inch is metered,” said Maggie Schneider, a staff member at The Collection thrift boutique on South Main Street.
She was previously against the paid parking but now thinks it’s not such a big deal, especially since it’s only in front of the stores and there are free lots nearby.
The fact that there was a delay in the new system didn’t concern Schneider, but she hopes the funds go back into the “public good,” she said.
Down the street, Mike Batusic, of Bouchard’s Barber Shop, has concerns with the rollout and how it was communicated.
“I don’t think anybody is really happy about it,” he said Wednesday outside the shop.
While it’s too early to say what the impact will be, Batusic worries the meter system will cause more traffic on an already busy road, he said. He feels that there wasn’t sufficient communication from the town. When customers came in asking about it, Batusic didn’t have answers for them.
“We were not notified until the Friday before it started,” said Batusic, who added he wishes more people were part of the initial discussion.
During the workweek, White River Junction visitors are expected to pay for parking by phone or at a kiosk to ensure people aren’t spending all day in spaces at the storefronts. It costs $1 per hour —which can be split into 15-minute increments—and there’s a 2-hour total time limit.
Hartford Police can issue $11 tickets for failure to comply. While these regulations became official as of Aug. 24, issues with the payment system delayed them by a week. Parking remained free until Monday.
Police started issuing warnings on the original launch date when they thought the meters were working, but stopped due to “technical glitches,” said Lt. William Furnari of the Hartford Police Department.
“It would be silly for us to walk around and be dropping warnings on these people’s cars who can’t pay,” he said.
JD Hawks, a Hartford spokesperson, confirmed Monday that the meters and Text-to-Pay option are both working properly now, though the new system may still have “occasional technical issues,” he said by email.
Walking downtown last week, Furnari kept hearing from people that the payment process wouldn’t work. He let Lori Hirshfield, director of planning and development, know of the issue since police are only enforcing the rules, not managing the system.
Hirshfield did not respond to a phone message or email inquiring about the situation.
Furnari noted that there’s already been more movement in town, which was the primary intention of the ordinance changes.
“The ultimate point is turnover of vehicles to help businesses downtown,” said Furnari.
Back in 2020, Hartford voters denied a request to use $160,000 of local option tax to introduce a meter parking system, 2,088 to 906.
In 2024, the Hartford Selectboard voted unanimously to use about $145,000 of the funds the town received through the American Rescue Plan Act, or ARPA, to purchase 16 kiosks anyway.
The idea of paid parking received mixed reviews when the Valley News checked in with people downtown in June. Last week was no different.
A visitor from Hartland, Alec Babala, told the Valley News he attempted to pay Wednesday using the app until someone walked by and told him it was broken.
“I was very confused,” said Babala, who added that paid parking doesn’t generally bother him. “I expect it in any downtown.”
Based on calculations from last summer, the town anticipates a combined revenue of over $236,000 annually from the 210 metered parking spots, Hirshfield said earlier this year.
Cassidy Lawlor, who works nearby, tried to pay on Wednesday, only to realize the meters wouldn’t accept her payment. She was aware of the changes through word of mouth, but feels like the town is just taxing people more. She hopes the funds go toward resources for those in need, such as the homeless population.
“Some people would rather pay the $11 than go through that,” she said of the payment process.
The town is working to ensure the system runs smoothly, said Hawks, with Hartford Police offering assistance to visitors getting accustomed to it.
