Removing parking meters from downtown Wheeling is the right and easy move to do. But we recall a time not too long ago when the Wheeling Area Chamber of Commerce, led then by Terry Sterling, sought meter removals in the Central Business District and received a harsh “no.”

The issue at that time centered on the parking meter revenue being tied to the bonds that built the Robert C. Byrd Intermodal Transportation Center. That may not be an issue today, but don’t expect the city, just because it’s removing the meters, to forgo revenue. Instead, council will vote on increasing parking tickets downtown from $10 to $20.

Enforcement will be done in a nefarious way, as well. Since there will be no meters, and no pay-to-park system such as is found in other cities, the burden will fall directly on you to ensure you don’t exceed the parking time limit. An AI-based system will be driven on a continuous loop circling Main and Market streets, from 10th to 16th Street, electronically chalking tires. Once you exceed the time limit … there’s your $20 ticket.

The increase in fines will likely more than make up for the loss in parking meter revenue.

It’s clear that employees of downtown businesses should not be taking up available parking on city streets. But unless signage is very clear on parking limits and just how the new system will work, we expect the new city virtual ticket writer will prove worth its weight in gold for Wheeling’s coffers. That’s not a good way to welcome people back to your downtown. We hope council looks at options other than moving directly to the penalty phase and instead makes the Friendly City welcome to all.