'Tiptoe Reach': Tall Parking Meters Causing Issues In Watertown

WATERTOWN (CBS) -- For some Watertown residents, paying for parking can be a little tricky these days. In the last few weeks, hundreds of new meter heads with updated technology have been installed in the city that allow for card payments, and eventually, payments through an app. However, the meters now stand taller, causing some complaints.

WBZ-TV measured the height of one of the taller meters at roughly 66 inches, or 5 feet, 6 inches.

"I'm 5'7" and I have to do a little tiptoe reach," said Watertown resident Marianne Iagco.

Fellow resident Cindy Spropis added, "I think they need to be cognizant of people. Your average height is probably like 5'4", 5'5" and I just think they need to bring them down a little bit."

"I think that Watertown historically has been an elderly community so people that would park along this way might have some issues," said Iagco.

Community Development and Planning Director and Assistant Town Manager Steve Magoon told WBZ-TV the Department of Public Works will be addressing the issue over the next couple of months and lowering all the meters to 48-inches.

Magoon explained the process was to, "take off the meter head, cut the pole down to an appropriate height and then reinstall the meter head."

For now, some are offering other solutions. Francis Rossi of Dorchester said, "maybe they could bring a stool. Each senior like myself. I'm not that tall."

Magoon said, "there's probably about 10 of those that are really, really high and we'll make sure those get addressed first and address the rest of them as soon as we can."

And while the meters are certainly an inconvenience for some, Watertown resident Ken Persing tried to put it in perspective: "I don't think it's going to bring around the downfall of western man but it's actually sort of refreshing to have a problem of slightly shorter stature than unemployment, COVID-19, no food, and no money."