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| Parking management is one of the most powerful tools that can be used for modifying commute mode choice. The decision of commuters to drive alone, carpool, vanpool, or use mass transit often depends on the cost, availability, and the location of parking. |
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State Agencies should refer to Parking Guidelines at: http://www.ga.wa.gov/CTR/guide.html.
For some organizations, an effective parking management program can help create funding for other CTR programs such as transportation subsidies and allowances.
According to the King county Department of Transportation, it costs $16,000 per space to construct surface parking. The price jumps to $20,000 to $25,000 per space for structure parking. There are also ongoing costs for maintaining and operating parking lots, which the agency estimates at $85 per space per year (not including restripping or security).
Parking should be managed as a resource. A parking management program can result in major cost savings for the employer by balancing the supply and demand for parking. There are three parking management strategies that are commonly used to help reduce the number of solo commuters to a worksite. These strategies impact parking in the following ways:
- Location and convenience
- Supply
- Price
Parking Convenience
Preferential parking is a convenience incentive that reserves the most desirable parking spaces for carpools and vanpools, thus encouraging your employees to share a ride instead of driving alone to work. Preferential parking spaces are reserved spaces for carpools and vanpools that are covered and/or are convenient parking close to entrances.
Preferential parking spaces are usually marked and employees are registered to use the space. These employees are issued some sort of identification for their vehicle, such as a hang-tag or sticker. Frequently, the spaces are used by carpoolers and vanpoolers on a first-come, first-served basis. Sometimes companies "reserve" preferential spaces by assigning spaces to specific carpools and vanpools.
The effectiveness of preferential or reserved parking for carpools and vanpools has a direct relationship to the degree of convenience it represents. Preferential/reserved parking is especially effective when parking is in tight supply and employees have to search for parking.
When offering preferential parking, here are some things to consider:
- Determine and distribute policies that define who is eligible to use a parking space and what will happen if employees abuse the policy.
- Determine how many preferential parking spaces you'll need and how parking will be monitored and enforced.
- Use a registration system to identify those who are eligible to use a parking space.
Preferential parking works best as part of a CTR program that supports ridesharing; other elements to consider: ridematching assistance, a guaranteed ride home, and transportation allowances or subsidies.
Parking Supply
When the amount of parking is reduced, employees may be more willing to consider alternatives to driving alone.
In the past, jurisdictions enacted ordinances which required developers to provide a minimum number of parking spaces for nonresidential buildings. Many of these ordinances are now being changed to reduce the number of required parking spaces and to reflect a new focus on the use of public transportation, ridesharing, and other alternatives to single occupant vehicle commuting.
Some jurisdictions have passed ordinances requiring that parking be priced separately in a building lease. Employers that lease office space should check on the cost of parking and determine if the number of allocated spaces can be reduced.
When reducing the supply of parking, here are some things to consider:
- Form a committee to evaluate the existing parking situation, to research parking in the surrounding areas, and to decide on the appropriate strategies. Some employers turn parking areas into a sports court or lease the space to another employer.
- Determine the pattern of parking demand versus supply. Counts should be done on different days during peak seasons and peak hours of parking demand.
- Plans for future company growth should also be examined in terms of the number of employees and parking spaces. Ideally, there should be fewer parking spaces than employees.
- Restricting parking works best when it's used in conjunction with other commuting programs and transportation options, such as:
- Ridematching assistance.
- Parking fees for single-occupant vehicles.
- Free parking or discounts for carpools and vanpools.
- Preferential parking for carpools and vanpools.
- Transportation allowances or subsidies.
- Incentives for walkers and bicyclists.
- Work schedules that support use of commute alternatives.
Before eliminating parking or making plans to convert parking areas to other uses, contact your local jurisdiction to determine if a permit or variance will be required.
Parking Pricing
When a company pays for employee parking, it sends a powerful message that reinforces solo driving and discourages commuting by environmentally friendly alternatives such as taking the bus, carpooling, vanpooling, bicycling, and walking.
Over 90 percent of commuters park free of charge at work; even in downtown areas. In addition, most employees view parking as a sacred right. Research on this issue has shown that when employees are actually charged for parking, they alter behavior.
Considerations when looking at your pricing options include:
- Charging solo drivers more to park than ridesharers.
- Taking advantage of the "Parking Cash-out" program, which allows businesses to offer their employees a choice between a subsidy or a cash amount similar to what the employer would have paid for parking.
- If you currently offer free parking or subsidized parking, begin charging employees for parking (or increase the amount they pay). Consider offering a rideshare or transit subsidy to offset some of the pain of a parking charge. As a strategy to reduce solo driving, fees work best where parking is limited. If your employees have parking alternatives, such as free street parking or other low-cost parking facilities, this strategy probably won't work.
Additional Things to Consider
Reducing parking spaces or charging for parking can be one of the most controversial CTR elements you introduce. Careful communication of any changes in parking policies and prices, with clear explanations of the reason for the changes, is critical to the program's success. Here are some things to consider.
- Be sure to develop scenarios based on different pricing strategies. Make a presentation to management on the different strategies and how they will impact your parking situation.
- Check labor union agreements (if necessary). Introduce the strategy to the employees, and give them the chance to voice concerns and ask questions.
- Don't let your pricing strategy result in spill-over parking into the neighborhoods or residential communities surrounding your worksite.
- Most importantly, make sure your parking management program achieves the goals and objectives you established.
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Programs > Transportation > Commutes > Tools for Worksites > Parking Management
