Challenge: By creating sound parking policies, the City of Sacramento developed a well-versed, balanced parking program to better serve business owners, residents, and visitors. The City’s parking program has a long history-using the same hardware and techniques to manage their program for the past 70 years. Just 10 years ago, the City was using antiquated, coin-only mechanical meters limiting citizens to fixed parking rules. In the past, if a visitor stayed for longer than the posted limit, they’d receive a citation. The City wanted to provide a parking program that would encourage business, not dissuade it. The longer visitors stayed, the more opportunity to spend money, which could add to Sacramento’s economic growth. Data collected during the 90-day pilot program confirmed that the majority of motorists parked within the posted time limit. However, any motorist who needed more time only stayed for up to an extra hour- comprising only 5% of motorists in the pilot. This pilot proved that by using the IPS technology, motorists who occasionally need to extend their parking time are able to do so, while promoting turnover. The tiered-based pricing offers motorists a convenient way to self-manage their parking needs. Time may be paid for or extended either at the meter or with a mobile payment application. It can be paid by phone, coin, or credit card, as well as receive online receipts to track their parking history.
Description: By using the IPS Smart Meter, Smart Sensors, and the Data Management System (DMS), the City could deliver tiered-based pricing program to its citizens. There were 2 components to the program, within 2 specified districts:
1. A tiered-based pricing structure for short-term parking meters
2. The removal of existing time limit regulations for short-term meters
The objective was to reduce traffic congestion, direct motorists to convenient parking, encourage short-term turnover and the use of on-street parking, and direct long-term parking to off-street facilities. Their pricing model consists of the following tiers:
Tier 1 – on-street, short-term parking to encourage high turnover. This pricing is the base meter hourly rate, up until the hour(s) posted on the signage. If motorists wish to extend their parking, they can move up to Tier 2.
Tier 2 – where the garage pricing is in line with on street pricing so it evens the playing field (currently $3 per hour). The Tier 2 rate is effective for up to one additional hour beyond the Tier 1 time limit.
Tier 3 – 25% above the Tier 2 rate and becomes effective after the expiration of the Tier 2 hour and for each hour parked thereafter. So for a patron visiting the City who parks in a 2+ zone, he can choose to pay $18 to park on street for the evening or choose to spend $5-7 in a city garage. And the City can conveniently configure the tiered pricing remotely using the IPS Group DMS.
Impact: With the implementation of the program, the data suggests that they have reduced the number of overtime citation tickets issued. By using the data provided by the DMS, the City was able to derive the following statistics in a 90-day study.
9104 vehicles parked more than 90 days. Of the 9104 vehicles: 510 vehicles were in the Tier 2 pricing, buying more than the recommended stay.
Of the 510, only 400 purchased one hour of additional time.
See the original article here.
