July 31, 2025 (PEORIA, IL) The City of Peoria is upgrading its parking system, introducing new smart meter heads and transitioning all meters to a new payment platform operated by IPS Group. Installation of approximately 300 new meter heads will begin the week of August 4 in the downtown area.
While only a portion of meter heads will be replaced with smart meter heads, all parking meters citywide will switch from the current Passport platform to the new IPS system.
The new parking payment system will offer several convenient options:
- Coins
- Credit/debit cards, using text to pay
- New smart meters will have a credit card slot for an additional payment option
- Contactless payments, including Apple Pay and Google Pay, using text to pay
Those using text to pay will receive a 10-minute expiration reminder and the option to extend time, when available. No app will be necessary with the new payment system.
To support a smooth transition, payment collection will be waived at metered spaces from August 4 through August 11.
The city appreciates the public’s patience during the installation process and looks forward to delivering a more reliable, and user-friendly parking experience.