DIXON partnered with the City of Royal Oak, Michigan, to host two Community Parking Open Houses on May 7, giving residents and business owners a hands-on chance to test the new pay-by-plate pay stations being considered to replace the City’s current parking equipment. These open houses were all about hearing directly from the community—attendees had the opportunity to test the machines and share their thoughts on how easy and accessible they found them to use.

To spark even more conversation, a fun and interactive “dot survey” was set up, asking people about their typical parking experiences—like where they usually park, how often they visit downtown, how long it takes to find a spot, how long they stay, and what’s most important to them when choosing where to park.

To ensure everyone could participate, two open houses were held: one at the Senior Community Center and the other at the Farmers Market, with early morning and late evening hours to accommodate different schedules. Over 200 community members came out to share their feedback. The City expects to select a new vendor in June, with the new pay stations—and a convenient mobile and text-to-pay option—planned to roll out later this year.

The open houses also garnered significant media attention, with coverage featured on three local news stations. Links to the news articles can be found below:

https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/royal-oak-plans-change-nightmare-parking-system-downtown

https://www.cbsnews.com/detroit/news/royal-oak-proposed-parking-changes/

https://www.wxyz.com/news/royal-oak-seeks-public-feedback-on-new-parking-meters-as-current-system-set-to-expire