On August 21, 2023, parking enforcement officers from the Brownsville Police Department began enforcing the use of the newly installed paying stations in downtown Brownsville. 

After educating the public on how to use these stations over the summer and allowing a grace period for several months where individuals weren’t being cited for not paying the parking fee, the officers are now ensuring that the public adheres to the newly implemented traffic ordinance that requires payment for parking in the downtown district, said Sgt. David De Leon of the Brownsville Police Department.

The City of Brownsville previously installed 65 solar-powered smart paying stations in the downtown area. The purpose of these stations is to streamline parking payment and management.

Parking violations are subject to a $10 fine. This fine will double to $20 if the violation remains unpaid for more than 10 days after being issued. This is stated on the parking citation.

The new parking system uses pay-by-parking kiosks, that accept various forms of payment, accepting currency such as coins, bills, debit or credit cards, or contactless/NFC payments such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay.

To use the machines individuals simply need to enter their license plate number and their anticipated length of stay. Once a form of payment has been used, individuals can choose to receive their text receipt and go along with their stay. Instructions are provided in both English and Spanish.

Sgt. De Leon said the parking enforcement officers continuously check the parking stations to ensure they are functioning properly.

The City of Brownsville earlier this year partnered with the Flowbird Group which provides a service that allows motorists to pay for parking using their mobile device or computer.