Metro is trying various ways to make the parking pinch easier for riders in the short term and find solutions for the long term besides building new lots. The transit agency has been testing sensors at its Fort Totten station to show drivers which spots are open from afar. Now it plans to expand the system to Rockville by the end of the year, Metro Parking Director Patrick Schmitt said.
Next month, he said, the transit agency also hopes to have signs at a surface lot at the Vienna station showing when the lot is full so riders don’t enter if the spots are already gone.
Such programs could be expanded. But not all solutions will work for all stations, he cautioned. How information is gathered about the availability of spots and how that information is communicated to riders will likely vary. A highway sign, for example, may help commuters know whether they should keep driving or pull in to park, while a smartphone application may help commuters pinpoint open spots. Email notifications also could be possible.
Long term, the agency is trying to make it easier for riders to arrive at stations by other modes besides car, such as by foot, bus or bike. Metro is building a bike corral at its College Park station with room for up to 120 bikes in a secure cagelike structure.
Some cities are taking advantage of neighborhood parking, by turning the neighborhood street spot into a spot for sale, according to Donald Shoup, an urban planning professor at the University of California at Los Angeles.
Typically, residents complain about commuters parking on their streets. But some leave during the day to get to their own jobs, freeing up spaces. So some cities are asking those neighborhoods to essentially sell a handful of daytime-only permits. In exchange, the block gets money for sidewalk improvements, more plowing or other perks, while taking the stigma off of the commuters.
“These people are paying guests, they’re not freeloaders,” Shoup said. “It’s a lot more cost-effective than building a parking structure for $25,000 per space.” – Kytja Weir
