A project to update the Carbon County parking lot’s ticket process is slightly delayed until later this fall.

This week, the county commissioners announced the change in schedule for the new parking kiosks, which were supposed to be operational today.

“The shift to the right in the timeline for having the kiosks fully operational results from a delay in completing the required updating of the parking ordinance,” said Commissioner Chris Lukasevich. “COVID-19 related priorities and impacts, such as implementation of the county block grant program, addressing COVID’s impact on our customary election processes, etc., have taken precedence over the administrative task of finalizing the ordinance.”

The county said that in addition to finalizing the ordinance, it still has to program the kiosks and associated software, as well as order signage for the lot.

Lukasevich said the project could be ready in October, but the commissioners are “reluctant to implement a new system during the period of highest visitor volume and demand for parking.”

Because of the fall foliage crowds that visit Jim Thorpe during the month of October, the county is now considering fully implementing the kiosks in November.

“This would also give our parking ambassadors additional time to become familiar with two kiosk associated software programs, the enforcement devices, and refine their operating procedures,” Lukasevich said.

The county purchased the 15 kiosks for the lot and metered areas on Lehigh Avenue and Susquehanna Street from Butts Ticket Company in Cochranville in August 2019.

The total cost of the purchase was $175,550 and was taken out of the parking fund, which is generated by parking fees in the lot.

In July, the board also purchased three CitePro hand held enforcement devices from United Public Safety of Fort Washington, Pennsylvania at a cost of $ $22,383.64 for the first year and $11,483.64 in years two and three. These devices will be used to read license plates and issue parking tickets.

The kiosks will also act as part of a solution in a traffic study that was completed by the Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance for the borough in the hopes of avoiding congestion on weekends in Jim Thorpe.