May 25, 2012 > Downtown LA trying sliding scale for parking spots Downtown LA trying sliding scale for parking spots Submitted By AP Wire Service LOS ANGELES (AP), May 22 - Street parking just got cheaper in downtown Los Angeles - and more expensive at the same time. LA has launched a one-year pilot program with more than 13,000 parking spaces on streets and city lots downtown, where prices may drop as low as 50 cents an hour for some spaces, and spike to $6 for others. The system uses sensors to find the most popular and least used spaces, and prices will change according to demand. The initial prices were set with existing city data, and will be adjusted as it becomes clear who is parking where, and when. It also allows drivers to use cellphones to find and pay for spaces. City officials say it should make ease the parking crunch by encouraging drivers to use cheaper spots.