NAHANT — Next time residents head to the beach reservation, they will have a new way to pay for their parking.
Nahant Beach Reservation, along with nine other properties, will now be accepting parking fee payments via YODEL, a mobile application that can be downloaded through the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.
The goal of adding this option is to minimize traffic at the entrance gates, which should also cut down on traffic in the area. While visitors to Nahant Beach can pay for parking in advance, they are strongly encouraged to wait until arriving before buying a pass, as pre-purchased passes do not guarantee a space upon arrival.
The Department of Conservation & Recreation (DCR) said that “the goal of utilizing contactless parking revenue collection at state parks across the commonwealth is to enhance the visitor experience, provide a modern/convenient payment method, limit face-to-face contact between park staff and visitors and expedite the parking payment process — giving visitors more time to enjoy DCR’s parks and minimize traffic impacts.”
In the future, YODEL will also provide features such as advance reservation, capacity information, real-time notification and contactless entry validation for visitors.
The DCR states that it is introducing the app to improve the overall visitor experience, reduce traffic and wait time and manage capacity. The department also noted that by going digital, it is helping the environment by reducing waste.
This is just phase one of the implementation of YODEL around the commonwealth as phase three will be taking place at some point in 2022. The DCR hopes to have more than 50 properties using the contactless parking revenue collection system by that time.
