Green Initiatives

LEXPARK Green Initiative

Locally, we have rolled out some of the following programs:

• All letters and forms are printed on recycled paper and printed on both sides when possible.

• Monthly reports are submitted electronically.

• Other offices and vendors related to the Parking Authority are encouraged to recycle.

• All single space parking meters are battery operated and our newest single space parking meters are solar powered.

• Our multi-space meters (pay stations) are solar powered.

• We use rechargeable electronic hand held ticket writers, which save paper and are more eco-friendly.

• Our "Ambassadors" (Parking Enforcement Officers) either walk or utilize all electric 3-wheel vehicles called T3’s.

• Our On-street meter collections utilize an all electric GEM car.

• Any time a full sized vehicle is used for on-street management, it is either an electric or hybrid or a very efficient substitute.

• The on-street management plan has created more availability of on-street spaces which decreases the amount of cruising and circling time spent looking for a parking space downtown. Recent studies have shown up to 30% of the VMT (Vehicle Miles Traveled) in a downtown is caused by cruising and circling. (people looking for parking)

• The Parking Authority replaced the existing lighting in the off-street facilities with more energy efficient fluorescent lighting fixtures.  As an additional energy saving measure, daylight sensors and motion sensors were also implemented throughout the off-street facilities wherever possible.

• A new Parking Access and Revenue Control System, or PARCS, was installed in the off-street facilities.  This system utilizes an industry exclusive ChipCoin technology.  ChipCoins eliminate the need for paper tickets, which helps with waste, while also improving equipment reliability. 

• Another innovative feature of the new PARCS equipment involves the use of software controls that switch the equipment to an energy-saving ‘standby’ mode during periods when visitor traffic is lightest. 

• Each of our off-street facilities provides real-time parking space availability information via an LED counter displayed outside of each garage.  This information helps ease downtown traffic congestion by helping customers quickly find available parking spaces.  This in turn helps to reduce exhaust emissions in our city center, making for a cleaner and greener Lexington.
• We have partnered with ParkMe to provide a free mobile app that provides real time parking availability information for our off-street facilities.  This information allows parkers to efficiently find spaces to park downtown, while also avoiding the needless circling of blocks that accompanies looking for a space.  This helps to reduce exhaust emissions and makes the air a little cleaner for all of us.