Automated parking has become a reality at the Stolp Island Parking Garage in downtown Aurora.

The automated system, which is similar to systems used in Chicago and other cities, was launched May 29 and after a trial and test period, is now fully functional.  

It allows drivers to pay for the time they have spent at two payment centers located at both street-level stair towers on Downer Place.  One of the payment centers is located at the corner of Stolp and Downer and the other is just west of the GAR Memorial Hall.

Patrons will receive a time-stamped ticket when entering the deck and after parking their vehicle they should keep the ticket they received.  

After conducting their downtown business, they should insert the ticket into one of the pay stations and after paying for the time they used, will receive another ticket.  They will then have 10 minutes to retrieve their vehicle and just before exiting the garage, dispense the second ticket into the ticket repository at either exit to raise the stop arm.

Payment can be made by cash, credit, or debit card at the payment center at Stolp and Downer. 

The payment center nearest the GAR Memorial Hall accepts credit or debit cards only.  Patrons using credit or debit cards can also pay directly at the ticket repository at both garage exits.  

Parking at the deck is free for up to the first hour of use and $1.00 for each succeeding hour to a daily maximum of $5.00 per day. Lost time-stamped tickets are subject to a $25 charge. 

In order to better facilitate flow of traffic exiting the garage after a major event downtown, the deck’s Downer Street entrance has been changed to a reversible lane.  While the Downer lane will remain an entrance most of the time, officials will change it to an exit during times of heavy deck parking use.  There is a red/green light above the lane which indicates if motorists can enter it.

Patrons with parking passes for the Stolp Avenue Parking Garage should simply hold their pass cards up to the ticket repository upon entering or exiting to activate the stop arm.

The introduction of automated parking at the deck coincides with Aurora’s new color-coded parking plan that went into effect earlier this month.

The City has removed an estimated 900 parking meters along downtown streets and in parking lots and will institute a color coded system for on-street and surface lot parking which carry different time limits that visitors and residents can park their vehicles at no charge.  

The new parking plan is designed to assure more equitable parking opportunities for businesses and patrons and allows them to choose their most convenient option depending on the time they spend downtown.