Nearly Half of Fourth Avenue Parking Meters Failed

Supply-chain shortages have left 185 parking meters broken across the Fourth Avenue district in Tucson.

Updated on Oct. 14, 2026 in Auto Parts

Isometric editorial illustration of stylized parking meter posts along a city curb, representing municipal infrastructure maintenance challenges in Tucson. — Approximately 48% of Fourth Avenue's parking meters in Tucson remain inoperable due to ongoing battery supply-chain shortages following recent rate hikes. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Approximately 48% of the 382 metered parking spots on Fourth Avenue are currently out of service due to battery failures. The city recently installed 50 replacement batteries, but lingering supply-chain issues have limited full repairs.

Why it matters

The city raised parking rates to $1.50 per hour in July 2026 to fund technology improvements and cover rising operational costs. However, residents are still finding a large portion of the meters inoperable despite the recent rate hike.

There are 185 broken meters out of 382 total metered spots on Fourth Avenue. The city has only managed to replace 50 batteries out of an order of 500.

The players

Park Tucson

This is the city department responsible for managing parking infrastructure and enforcing parking regulations throughout the city.

The details

Drivers can avoid $42 fines for expired meters by utilizing the Park Tucson app or text-to-pay services to complete transactions. Maintenance crews are continuing to install new batteries as limited supplies arrive from the vendor.

May 5, 2026: City Council voted to approve parking rate increases.
July 1, 2026: The new parking meter rate increase took effect.
October 12, 2026: Park Tucson installed 50 replacement batteries into meters.
October 13, 2026: A shopper encountered a malfunctioning meter.

Roadmap

The widespread failure of these meters illustrates the operational challenges facing aging city parking infrastructure during periods of high demand. These issues complicate the city's broader shift toward automated, app-based parking management systems.

Drivers should use mobile payment apps or text-to-pay to avoid potential $42 fines for an expired meter. Even if a physical meter is broken, payments are still required to avoid citation.

The takeaway

Always check your payment status via the Park Tucson app if a physical meter appears to be malfunctioning. You can often bypass hardware issues by using provided digital payment alternatives.