GULF SHORES, Ala. — If things go as planned, visitors to the beach will no longer be greeted at a ticket booth by a smiling face collecting parking fees. Both the booth and the smiling face will be replaced by machines that will provide tickets needed to park in the lot.

There will still be security and the parking lots will be monitored, but the system to pay will change.

The city of Gulf Shores is considering this change to help relieve heavy traffic congestion, especially during the summer months, in the beach parking areas.

Two months ago, researchers began analyzing how the system presently works with the pay booths and the personnel as compared to how it might benefit the city if they were replaced by the automated machines.

If approved, approximately five machines, similar in style to an automatic teller machine would be purchased and placed in strategic areas throughout the parking lot. Rather than paying the attendant when entering the lot, drivers would enter the parking facility, purchase a ticket from the machine and place it on their dash, showing that they paid to park.

The parking lot would be monitored by police, and those who do not purchase a parking ticket from one of the machines would be ticketed or their automobile would be towed.

According to Community Development Director Andy Bauer, a number of coastal cities are effectively using this system including Myrtle Beach, S.C., Fort Lauderdale, Fla. and numerous cities along the West Coast.

“The machines are structurally sound and would be immovable, except in the case of an emergency such as a hurricane,” Bauer said. “Some of the cities remove them seasonally.”

Bauer said the machines will cost somewhere around $10,000 each and the city would need five or six machines for the system to work effectively. 

He also said estimates show the city would reap a $930,000 profit over five years, as opposed to a $600,000 profit with the system that is presently in place.

Gulf Shores residents will still be able to park for free.

“As long as residents have the hurricane decal on their vehicles, they will be allowed to park without having to purchase a ticket,” said Mayor Robert Craft.

The cost to park will remain at $5 for the entire day, and the city plans to post signs clearly explaining the procedure, so city leaders are not expecting any problems if the plan is approved.

According to Bauer, this method will help clear up the congestion that often occurs at the pay booth, especially during the summer months.