San Francisco motorists will soon be able to pay for their parking through their mobile phones, but the application will not come free.

Later this year, the Municipal Transportation Agency, which manages parking in The City, will introduce their pay-by-phone technology, a development that coincides with the launch of SFpark, a series of pilot programs aimed at easing traffic congestion in San Francisco.

The phone technology will allow motorists to pay for meters by connecting through the internet. The application will also send a text message to motorists, reminding them when their meters are set to expire.

That convenience, however, will come at a price. Every transaction paid through the phone will come with a 45-cent fee, plus the cost of the meter. Under SFpark, spots at the most-frequently occupied meters will soon increase by 25 cents, and could get as high as $6.

wreisman@sfexaminer.com