Drivers visiting downtown State College will have to adjust to a new automated payment method that will be installed in three local parking garages within the year.

The State College Borough Council voted 5-1 to award the contracting bid for the automated payment system, or Parking Access and Revenue Control System (PARCS), to CTR Systems at a Borough Council work session on Friday.

PARCS allows parking garage customers to pay for their parking time through machines instead of cashiers.

Borough Council decided two weeks ago that the automated system would be implemented in the future West Beaver parking garage.

Friday's vote determined that the systems will also be implemented in the existing parking garages on Pugh and Fraser streets.

CTR Systems of Warrendale placed a bid on installing the system at a cost of $273,000 for the West Beaver garage and an additional $730,911 for converting the other two.

Borough Council President Tom Daubert said even though he has doubts about the reliability of the systems, he supports installing PARCS in all the garages.

"I think they will put in all the safeguards for it to work," he said.

Borough Council member Cathy Dauler said that having the same system in all three garages will make it much easier for local residents and visitors.

"If you go to Washington, [D.C.], all of the metro stations are the same and people know how to get tickets even if they aren't that familiar with the system," she said.

"Once the adjustment period is over, people will find [PARCS] very helpful," Dauler added.

However, Borough Council member Elizabeth Goreham, who cast the only dissenting vote, said the system caused problems at the Pugh Street Parking Garage, which currently uses both automated and cashier payment methods.

"When the system was put in Pugh, there was an outcry of confusion," she said. "I really do not support the full removal of humans."

Borough Council manager Tom Fountaine said there would still be people in the garages but that they will be helping customers inside the garage instead of taking money.

"We will have ample staff in all three garages to assist customers," he said.

"During implementation, we will have people at pay stations and entries," Fountaine added.

Daubert said the West Beaver garage and its PARCS will be finished in August.

He added that the other two garages will most likely be converted to the automated payment system by spring 2006.

Also, in a 5-1 vote, Borough Council decided to designate $100,000 in their current budget for a way-finding system that would strategically place signs around the State College area to direct drivers to parking garages and display which garages have vacancies.

Dauler originally proposed that $75,000 be designated for the project at last Monday's Borough Council meeting.

Daubert said he thinks the way-finding signs would be helpful but not entirely necessary for the community.

"I can't imagine that people are unable to fend for themselves," he said. "Many other towns have signs, so [Borough Council] members think we should, too."

Goreham said she also objected to the cost of the way-finding signs.

"I think we're lavishing too much money on the parking system," she said.

Borough Council member James Meyer said the parking system was designed to bring in enough revenue to balance the initial cost.

"[The system] shows no reason why it can't fund itself now or in the future," he said.