BUFFALO, N.Y. — Parking signs throughout the City of Buffalo contain a dead link, which could lead to parking difficulties for those who are less tech-savvy.
A viewer alerted 2 ON Your Side of this problem, the link is on many of the Buffalo Roam App parking signs. The link GoBuffaloRoam.com takes users to an error page, displaying options like cattle equipment websites.
City of Buffalo Parking Commissioner, Raymond Wagner said that when 2 On Your Side contacted him, it was the first he had heard about the problem. Wagner said, "I did notify my enforcement staff about this, as soon as I found out, so they are going around the city identifying signs that do have broken links and whether we have to put a new sign up or maybe a vinyl sticker over it to correct that issue we will do that,".
The Buffalo Roam app is not the only way to pay for parking in the city, there are meters and pay stations as well. Wagner said they may try to phase them out eventually due to their expensive cost but there aren't currently any concrete plans to do that.
Cindy Hannah uses the meters in The Elmwood Village every day when she goes to yoga and when she goes to work. "It is bad enough that they make you use your card at the pay stations," Hannah said, "I do use the meters. It's hard to use the pay station, that's a little difficult. I do use it sometimes but it doesn't always work."
If anyone does receive a ticket due to technology issues with accessing the app, the commissioner said that they have a system in place to make sure that individuals can challenge a ticket, Wagner said, "That's what the hearings are for so you can definitely set up a hearing and that's based on what the hearing officer is gonna decide and takes everything into context."
The commissioner also said that the City is looking at implementing a new app that he says is more user-friendly. If they decide to go with it, they are hoping to roll it out by the fall.