HAGERSTOWN – The City of Hagerstown is completing the final phase of removing traditional parking meters, a change prompted by theft and vandalism of the coin-fed devices. City officials are urging residents and visitors to adopt the PayByPhone mobile app as the primary method for on-street and lot parking payments.
Digital parking transition
By early September, new PayByPhone signage will be installed on poles throughout downtown, clearly visible from the sidewalks. The app, available on iOS and Android offers secure digital payments and will replace physical meters.
Cash and credit card payments will still be accepted at city-owned parking decks, ensuring an option for those without smartphones. For help downloading or using the app, residents can contact the Parking Division at 301-739-8577, ext. 479 or 445.
Part of a larger downtown strategy
The shift away from coin meters is more than a cost-saving measure. It aligns with Hagerstown’s ongoing downtown revitalization efforts, including the city’s updated Downtown Plan, branded “My Downtown Hagerstown,” which lays out strategies for investment through 2035.
That plan emphasizes improving connectivity, economic opportunity and visitor experience – all areas where modernized parking plays a role. Consultants working with the city stressed that downtown’s success depends on making the area more welcoming and accessible to residents, businesses, and tourists alike.
At the same time, Hagerstown is advancing the Choice Neighborhoods Transformation Plan, a sweeping redevelopment project focusing on housing, infrastructure, and economic development in and around downtown.
Hagerstown’s broader revitalization push
- My Downtown Hagerstown Plan – A 10-year strategy update launched in 2025, building on the city’s 2014 downtown plan. It focuses on “catalytic projects” to drive economic growth, improve community spaces, and strengthen ties between downtown and surrounding neighborhoods.
- Choice neighborhoods transformation plan – Finalized in August, this HUD-supported plan will redevelop public housing sites into mixed-income communities and expand resident services. Early-action projects include new crosswalks, public art and pedestrian safety upgrades.
- Five-Year Housing and Infrastructure Plan (2026–2030) – Adopted this summer, the plan directs $1.36 million in HUD funding toward housing rehabilitation, homelessness prevention, infrastructure upgrades, and public facilities, reinforcing the city’s efforts to modernize and expand services.
