Variable parking rates and online parking availability are features of a pilot program meant to increase convenience and cut congestion on the road.
San Francisco hopes a pilot program linking parking spaces in the city with sophisticated metering will help reduce the amount of time drivers spend looking for parking, while unclogging streets and reducing auto emissions.
The project won't increase the parking supply - as the city's long-standing policy is to reduce reliance on cars - but the goal is to cut the time it takes drivers to find parking by micromanaging spaces.
"As SFpark is envisioned, parking rates would be adjusted based on time of day, day of week and duration of stay. People would be able to pay not just with coins, but with credit cards, prepaid debit cards and even by cell phone. If a meter is set to expire, a text message could be sent to the driver. More time could be purchased remotely."
"People also would be able to check parking availability before arriving at their destination via the Internet, handheld devices such as BlackBerrys, or cell phone. Sensors would be embedded in the asphalt to keep track of when a parking spot is empty."
"The technology isn't new, but San Francisco would be the first American city to apply it on such a broad scale. That's one reason federal transportation authorities took an interest and decided to help pay for the experiment." The federal government will be paying $18 million of the project's $23 million budget.
"'The idea is to give people more choice, more convenience and to reduce congestion,' said Mayor Gavin Newsom."
Thanks to Andy J. Wang
FULL STORY: SFpark would micromanage city's scarce spaces

Downtown Los Angeles Park Wins National Award
Vista Hermosa Natural Park, designed by the landscape architecture firm Studio-MLA, has won the ASLA 2023 Landmark Award. Completed in 2008, Vista Hermosa was the first public park built in downtown L.A. in over 100 years.

Norman, Oklahoma Eliminates Parking Mandates
The city made a subtle, one-word change that frees up developers to build parking based on actual need and eliminates costly unnecessary parking.

Boston Transit Riders Report Safety Concerns
Almost three-quarters of current and former riders report feeling unsafe while using MBTA services.

When it Comes to Transportation, It’s All About Options
Debunking the notion of the personal automobile as liberator.

Prioritizing Equity in Federal Transit Funding
TransitCenter recommends several transit capital projects deserving of federal transportation dollars.

California Housing Bills Streamline Affordable Housing
A series of current and proposed bills are paving the way for more affordable housing production in the state, where environmental laws are often deployed to delay or block new development.
City of Grand Junction Police Department
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Code Studio
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Washington University
Mpact: Mobility, Community, Possibility
City of Waukesha, WI
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Montrose County
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.