Elburn planning to automate commuter parking fees

Someday soon, there will be no more folding up a dollar bill and pushing it through a slot, followed by a quarter, at the Elburn Metra station parking lot. And maybe no more digging in the seat cushions for change to pay the parking bill.

When the lot is expanded this summer, new payment machines will be installed.

The eight machines will take paper bills, coins, prepaid "smart" cards, and maybe debit and credit cards. The bills will be sucked up by a reader, like those on vending and self-checkout machines.

"It's a safer system and a better system," even though it will cost $99,900 to install, plus $6,900 for spare parts, Elburn Village President Dave Anderson said.

The village will pay for it through fees generated by commuter parkers.

The existing lot has 300 spaces. Metra plans to add another 300 this summer; a construction start date has not been set.

The village charges $1.25 to park there for a day. The payment box is at the bottom of the stairs by the platform.

Anderson said the new system will make it easier for parking officers to figure out who hasn't paid for their spot. They also won't have to spend time unfolding greenbacks. "It in fact was not cheaper" to keep the old system, Anderson said. Village employees could spend their time "doing something more constructive."

The station opened in 2006. Besides Elburnites, people from Sycamore, Maple Park, Kaneville and DeKalb use it. Northern Illinois University runs a shuttle bus to the station. There is room to expand the parking to 1,300 spaces.

"It's a mass transit situation that is working pretty good," Anderson said.