What Happened?
Seattle recently implemented a price-responsive parking program that adjusts the costs of parking garages and meters across the city based on availability of spots. While San Francisco was able to adopt a similar program with the help of a $20 million US Department of Transportation Urban Partnership Program grant, Seattle scaled the price of the parking project down to less than $1.2 million annually without sacrificing the overall efficiency.
The Goal
After the San Francisco rollout of its SFpark program, many municipalities felt they could not afford to develop such a costly, extensive platform. Seattle’s SeaPark initiative, however, demonstrates the possibilities in demand-responsive parking with existing technology and innovative adoptions, The Atlantic Cities reported.
The San Francisco platform monitors parking availability across the city, adjusts pricing in real-time and alerts residents with the SFpark app to areas where spots are open and how much parking will cost. The Seattle SeaPark program also responds to parking demand and alters prices to optimize areas with high traffic.
Break It Down
Rather than charging a flat rate for parking in downtown Seattle, officials collected data from different neighborhoods to identify parking demands to ensure spaces were available when needed most. Parking data is gathered annually to help officials determine new, more appropriate parking rates.
When availability goals are not met in specific neighborhoods, officials must adjust the parking rates between $1 to $4 in changes. In the end, more consistent parking availability can boost local businesses, reduce traffic congestion and improve quality of life for residents.
The city is able to compile data to follow occupancy rates of parking spots throughout the day, as well as a breakdown by neighborhood and block. The finite data points out the time and place of congestion so changes can be made quickly and efficiently.
Put It In Context
The demand-responsive parking programs gaining popularity across the country are part of a worldwide effort to transform how the public interacts with transit options and infrastructure.
According to Paul Barter in a presentation at the Singapore International Transport Congress and Exhibition, demand-responsive parking, or adaptive parking, programs can be utilized to address lack of parking availability in densely populated locales, while avoiding and restrictions placed on residents. The flexible solutions are driven by real-time demand and trends in neighborhood behaviors, rather than focused on a pre-determined outcome. The five principles required for a successful adaptive parking initiative are:
- Share: Create more public parking
- Price: Enable pricing to vary based on time of day and availability
- Sweeten: Gauge public opinion to ensure buy-in
- Relax: Keep the changes flexible so adjustments waiver with demand
- Choice: Consider numerous platforms to host adaptive parking projects
Keeping Traffic Light
Gov1 has monitored municipality efforts to reduce the burden of managing parking infrastructure as well as increase walker-friendly amenities and resources.
San Francisco recently launched its SFpark demand-responsive parking program that adjusts rates for parking spots throughout the city based on saturation of cars. The city took advantage of a $20 million federal grant to adopt the technology.
The initiative leverages a matrix of street sensors to alert drivers with the SFpark application where parking spaces are available and what the prices currently are.