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Austin drivers can now pay for parking using Google Maps

Austin is now the first city to give people the option to pay for on-street parking directly from Google Maps.

AUSTIN, Texas — Austin has become the first city to offer drivers parking payments using Google Maps, a new feature rolling out on Wednesday. The City said the option will become widely available in the coming weeks.

The Austin Transportation Department has partnered with transportation software company Passport and Google to provide the service, allowing drivers the option to pay for on-street parking directly from Google Maps.

As drivers approach their destination using Google Maps on iOS or Android, the payment option will now be available in the app using Google Pay.

Alternatively, drivers can navigate to pay.google.com/parking directly within their phone’s browser to pay for parking that way.

“By providing people the ability to use applications they already have on their devices to pay for parking, people can get to the places they care about faster,” said Assistant City Manager Gina Fiandaca. “We’re working hard to make it easier for Austin residents and visitors to use the parking system. This effort improves convenience while also reducing the need to physically touch parking meters or ticketing machines in light of the current global pandemic.”

Austin Transportation has announced other new options for travelers amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Those needing short-term parking can use the codes FREE15ATX1 and FREE15ATX2 in the Park ATX mobile payment app for two free 15-minute parking sessions, valid every 24 hours.

RELATED: City of Austin to lift 2-hour parking time limit, start pay-by-plate

The agency also adopted a “pay-by-plate” parking system, meaning users pay at a parking kiosk by entering their license plate number, without having to display a sticker.

As of Sept. 1, you’ll be able to park for up to 10 hours in the same spot, but the cost will go up the longer you park.

The first two hours of parking downtown will stay $2 each. From there, the cost will increase in tiers. For the third hour, it’ll cost $3. The fourth hour will cost $3.50. The fifth hour goes up to $4. The sixth hour is $4.50. Then the seventh hour and beyond are $5 each.

If you use a credit card at parking pay stations, a $0.25 fee will be added to each transaction.

For more information, visit parkatxapp.com.

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