Over the next two years, Boston will replace its old parking meters with new ones connected to the internet. With this groundwork in place, pay-by-phone parking is the next step.
It's no secret that there is abundant space for urban parking innovation. Curt Woodward writes, "Researchers from MIT's Senseable City Lab, who have tested parking-spot-finder technology on the school's campus, say the average American spends about 50 hours per year just looking for parking, wasting fuel while increasing air pollution and traffic congestion."
In a step forward for the digital city, smart parking meters will spread across Boston over the next two years. From the article: "Boston already has rolled out a pilot program in the Back Bay neighborhood, called ParkBoston, that lets drivers pay for their metered spots with a smartphone app. San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles also have tested projects that tap into smartphone technology to make parking more convenient [...]"
Multiple start-ups are vying for the private parking market, and several more - like Boston's Haystack - have even tried to sell access to public spots. City officials and entrepreneurs alike seem confident Bostonians won't need those bags of quarters much longer.
FULL STORY: Boston to install “smart” parking meters across city, spreading pay-by-phone options
Parking Meter Tests Provoke Frustration in St. Louis
Locations around St. Louis are testing new parking meters, leading to confusion and tickets. The changes are part of an ongoing test of new systems that will eventually yield an overdue overhaul of the city's parking technology.
Reimagining the Curb: How Smart Curb Management is Transforming Urban Mobility
Modern demands for curbside space call for new ways to manage and allocate it.
NYC To Transition to Pay-by-Plate Parking Meters
The new meters eliminate paper receipts and provide real-time data to enforcement agents.
Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?
As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?
Washington State’s Parking Reform Law Could Unlock ‘Countless’ Acres for New Housing
A law that limits how much parking cities can require for residential amd commercial developments could lead to a construction boom.
Wildlife Rebounds After the Eaton Fire
Following the devastation of the Eaton Fire, the return of wildlife and the regrowth of native plants are offering powerful signs of resilience and renewal.
LA to Replace Inglewood Light Rail Project With Bus Shuttles
LA Metro says the change is in response to community engagement and that the new design will be ready before the 2028 Olympic Games.
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.
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions