Allentown Parking Authority

Last updated
Allentown Parking Authority
Allentown Parking Authority logo.png
Agency overview
Headquarters603 West Linden Street
Allentown, Pennsylvania 18101
Website www.allentownparking.com
Allentown, Pennsylvania, the largest city in the Lehigh Valley, third largest city in Pennsylvania, and county seat of Lehigh County, May 2010 Allentown.jpg
Allentown, Pennsylvania, the largest city in the Lehigh Valley, third largest city in Pennsylvania, and county seat of Lehigh County, May 2010
The Spiral Deck, an Allentown parking facility at 836 Linden St. 2021 - Nite - Spiral Parking Deck - 2 - Allentown PA.jpg
The Spiral Deck, an Allentown parking facility at 836 Linden St.

The Allentown Parking Authority is responsible for both off and on-street parking within the City of Allentown, Pennsylvania. [1]

Contents

The Allentown Parking Authority owns and manages five parking garages in downtown/center city, Allentown and leases 29 surface lots plus one parking ramp which make up a total of over 4,020 parking spaces.

The Allentown Parking Authority is responsible for the enforcement of both City and State parking regulations, by way of parking tickets, towing, wheel booting and/or impounding vehicles.

The Allentown Parking Authority currently regulates 1,500+ parking meters.

Criticisms

Residents have criticized the Allentown Parking Authority for targeting low-income families [2] living in center city Allentown by way of excessive fines [3] and unnecessary meter parking. [4] The Allentown Parking Authority has also been criticized for disrupting commerce in Allentown’s downtown shopping district by overzealously ticketing during standard business hours [5] [6] and unnecessary meter parking. [4]

The Allentown Parking Authority has also been criticized for indirectly implementing a so-called ticketing quota" [2] by budgeting its operations via revenue generated by ticketing vehicles [7] [8]

The Allentown Parking Authority has also been criticized for wasteful spending [9] and flaunting its high-priced "Parking Enforcement Technology" [10] while public schools in the Allentown School District are perceived as under-funded [11]

In December 2009, the website brokenladders.com called the Allentown Parking Authority a "corrupt, wasteful, hypocritical, nuisance" and launched a grassroots campaign to have the entity shut down. [12]

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References

  1. "Allentown Parking Authority". Archived from the original on 2009-10-25. Retrieved 2009-09-28.
  2. 1 2 "Reference at www.brokenladders.com". Archived from the original on 2009-11-19. Retrieved 2009-12-14. Allentown Parking Authority on BrokenLadders.com
  3. "Mcall.com: Queen City Daily Blog". Archived from the original on 2009-06-28. Retrieved 2009-09-28. Tickets by Block
  4. 1 2 "MOLOVINSKY ON ALLENTOWN: Parking Authority Preys On Poor". Archived from the original on 2011-07-08. Retrieved 2009-09-28. Parking Authority Preys on Poor
  5. "Mcall.com: Queen City Daily Blog". Archived from the original on 2009-06-28. Retrieved 2009-09-28. Tickets by Time
  6. "MOLOVINSKY ON ALLENTOWN: Tip For Snooks". Archived from the original on 2011-07-08. Retrieved 2009-09-28. Tip For Snooks
  7. "Reference at pqasb.pqarchiver.com". Archived from the original on 2012-10-26. Retrieved 2017-07-05. Time to re-evaluate Allentown parking
  8. "Reference at www.allentownpa.gov" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-22. Retrieved 2009-10-11. CITY OF ALLENTOWNFINANCIAL MANAGEMENT POLICIES
  9. "Teenagers happy with new place to ride – Morning Call". Archived from the original on 2012-09-11. Allentown Parking Authority Buys $1,232.67 Light Bulb[ failed verification ]
  10. "Reference at wfmz.com".[ permanent dead link ] New Parking Technology Aids Officers in Allentown
  11. "Reference at www.allentownsd.org" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-05. Retrieved 2009-09-28. Resolution Urging the Pennsylvania General Assembly to Approve a 2009–10 State Budget that Maintains the Commonwealth's Commitment to Adequate and Equitable Basic Education Funding
  12. "Reference at www.brokenladders.com". Archived from the original on 2009-11-19. Retrieved 2009-12-14. The Allentown Parking Authority is a Corrupt, Wasteful, Hypocritical, Nuisance

Coordinates: 40°36′02″N75°28′41″W / 40.600478°N 75.478153°W / 40.600478; -75.478153