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Fifty-seven parking pay stations were damaged in Hurricane Sandy, city manager Terence Reidy said at the Dec. 5 council meeting.

The stations, which motorists use to pay hourly for parking downtown and at the waterfront, are covered in part under the city’s broiler and machinery insurance, Reidy said. The 57 stations are also being included in a Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA] claim. The total cost of replacing the pay stations is just under $800,000.

When insurance covers a municipality’s costs for something, FEMA requires that the municipality receive the insurance money before FEMA pays for anything, Reidy said. FEMA will make a determination as to whether they will pick up the rest of the pay station bill after insurance.

The city council authorized Reidy to go out to bid for new pay stations at last night’s meeting.

Meanwhile, the city has enabled free parking in all metered areas until January. This usually happens during the holiday season every year, but the no-pay period officially began in the aftermath of the storm, in November.

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[NOTE: A previous version of this article erroneously stated that meter replacement would cost $8,000. In actuality, it is estimated at $800,000.]

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