MPS: Butte Silver-Bow Deploys Safetysticks to Automate Curb Safety and Short-Stay Parking Compliance

The city of Butte Silver-Bow, Montana, has launched 18 SafetyStick® devices to promote curb safety-curb areas include hydrants, crosswalks and intersection sightlines, with the first units going live in April 2025. Now the city is using the devices to enforce timed parking areas that are often abused.

“We started out with the MPS SafetySticks as an innovative way to enforce illegal and dangerous parking locations,” said Dave Aguirre, community enrichment director. “Then we realized SafetySticks could also be used to monitor timed parking areas like 15-minute and 30-minute parking zones and decided to give it a try at locations that are often abused and are hard to enforce.”

In September 2024, in a 7-0 vote, the Butte-Silver Bow Council of Commissioners authorized the chief executive to enter a five-year lease with Municipal Parking Services for equipment and platform services. The program enables the city to deploy up to 50 automated devices in phases to augment staff with continuous, evidence-based enforcement.

SafetySticks provide 24/7 AI-assisted detection and photo-verified evidence for local review, enabling consistent enforcement of no-parking and short-stay rules without adding staff. In comparable programs, MPS has seen illegal parking drop by up to 95% once devices are active and evidence-based notices begin.

Parking enforcement demands in Butte-Silver Bow underscore the need for automation. The automation helps keep safety zones clear and short-stay spaces turning over, and aids parking enforcement officers to investigate complaints and enforce parking regulations outside of the uptown business district.

About Municipal Parking Services (MPS)

Municipal Parking Services Inc. (MPS) is a pioneer in AI-driven enforcement and compliance technologies. Since 2013, MPS has leveraged its unique platform to deliver cloud-connected parking and safety solutions that reduce illegal parking, increase compliance, and improve safety outcomes. MPS solutions use embedded AI to automate license plate recognition, dynamic pricing, zone monitoring, and enforcement, creating safer, smarter communities. The company partners with leading safety organizations, including Vision Zero, IPMI, IACLEA, and IACP. Headquartered in Austin, Texas. Learn more at www.mpspark.com.