Ingenieurgruppe für Verkehrswesen und Verfahrensentwicklung Aachen/BerlinIngenieurgruppe für Verkehrswesen und Verfahrensentwicklung Aachen / Berlin

Parking Guidance System Seattle

Dynamic Parking Guidance System for Seattle

– Conceptual framework –

Dirk SerwillNovember 13, 2006

Parking Guidance System Seattle

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Overview

Parking Guidance System Seattle

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Directions to available parking spaces

Real time: Actual number of available spaces in area or lot

Parking Guidance System Seattle

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Dynamic sign at decision points Dynamic sign at car park entrance

Dynamic and static signs

Static sign for routing

Parking Guidance System Seattle

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Driving direction

Parking Logo (differentiated ingarages, surface lots, zone)

Name of car park or zoneColor of zone

Variable Arrow(option)

Display of currently available parking spaces

Explanation of display

Elements of a dynamic sign

Parking Guidance System Seattle

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● Better orientation by using colored areas (zones)

Parking Guidance System Seattle

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Guidance to single facilities

and (other) zones

Zones approach helps to

limit the number of signs

at one location

Parking Guidance System Seattle

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A

B

Sign location

Example for the use of zones on the signs

Parking Guidance System Seattle

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Guidance to different facilities in one zone

Garage nearly full

Parking Guidance System Seattle

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"Parking Guidance System" "City Center" Logo

Examples for awareness methods

Parking Guidance System Seattle

11Example: The logo in Munich

5 zones: Names of town districts

KreuzviertelGaggenauviertel

Angerviertel

Hauptbahnhof-viertel

Heckenviertel

Parking Guidance System Seattle

12Benefits of a Parking Guidance System

● Reduce search for parking traffic which leads to a

– reduction of emissions

– reduction of fuel consumption

– reduction of wasted time

● Direct parking traffic on dedicated roads (e.g. using the main road

network)

● Promote better use of existing capacity of parking facilities

● Provide better information for drivers with limited knowledge about

the transportation system by showing alternative parking locations

in the proximity of their destination

Parking Guidance System Seattle

13Benefits for the car park owners

● Improved awareness of their facility

● More revenues from more parkers

● More potential customers if the parking garage belongs to a retailer

● "Advertisement" if for example the name of a shopping mall car

park appears on the signs

● Added value by being shown on parking related web-sites and

brochures

Parking Guidance System Seattle

14A typical parking facility of a Parking Guidance System …

● is located in reasonable distance to the drivers final destination

(e.g. up to 3 blocks or up to 10 min walking distance)

● provides enough stalls for short-term parkers

● has sufficient opening hours

● provides the possibility to count all incoming and outgoing

vehicles

● fits in the overall pricing scheme of the area.

Basic rules for the pricing scheme

– similar prices in the same area

– comparable prices between off-street and on-street parking

– lower prices for locations further away from the center