ExpressPark Set to Stack the Deck in Favor of Parking Enforcement
Eric Richardson
[Flickr]
10,000 new parking meters that accept credit card payments were installed by the city last summer.
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — Ever feel like the meter maid has a sixth sense when it comes to arriving just exactly when your meter has run out? Expect that feeling to get a lot stronger in 2012 as the City of Los Angeles rolls out a system that will give computers a live view of 6,000 on-street parking spaces around Downtown.
Included in the specifications for the ExpressPark program is a "Guided Enforcement System" that will "alert and route enforcement officers to potential violations." A live map view will route officers to potential violations, listing them in spot-level detail.
The technology isn't all one-sided toward parking enforcement, however. Specifications also require that registered parkers be able to add time to their meter via text or email when given an alert saying that the clock is running low.
The ambitious program hit a speed bump in December when the two bids submitted to build the project both came in over the $18.5 million budget. Reworked bids were submitted in March, and the city's Department of Transportation is recommending that Xerox arm ACS State & Local Solutions be given the job.
The delay means that equipment installation will not be complete until February of 2012, with the project fully operational by April.
While the city's parking spaces already got a dose of high-tech guts with the rollout of 10,000 new smart meters in 2010, the ExpressPark program takes that effort several steps further by integrating meter data and occupancy sensors installed in the street to create a realtime picture of how Downtown's parking spaces are being used.
That data will allow pricing to be dynamically adjusted up or down to achieve the target occupancy rate of 70 to 90 percent. In the eyes of program proponents, that level is the sweet spot in allowing drivers to find fairly priced, available short-term parking.
Much of that smart data will be made available to drivers. The ExpressPark specifications talk of exporting live data to in-car GPS systems and smartphone apps, allowing drivers to be routed directly to an available space.
Even the collection of coins will get a dose of high-tech accountability. An audit released in January by City Controller Wendy Greuel (PDF) showed that the transportation department lacked proper data on how and how often meter revenues were collected. ExpressPark requires RFID tags on each meter coin can that will be scanned when the meter is collected. Data reported back to the system will allow collection routes to be optimized based on use, cutting down on personnel time and environmental impact by making sure meters are collected only when they are getting full.
The result of pulling all these high-tech systems together should be something special, project manager Peer Ghent told blogdowntown in December. "The part that's never been done is the management system to integrate all these different systems."
Carter Rubin on July 13, 2011, at 09:10AM – #1
It's an interesting project, but as far as managing parking to promote alternatives to driving, it's just a drop in the bucket compared to the 100+ acres of surface parking in DTLA.
downtown vibe on July 13, 2011, at 02:17PM – #2
How twisted was that remark...
When did the City ever get in the business of managing parking "so that people can't drive."
You should run for office!
And as for the surface parking lots.. they should be regulated by the City, or flat out replaced by City run lots or garages that help promote shopping and tourism.
There is no reason to charge more than $1 per hour. look around..Pasadena, Santa monica, Glendale..even Rome, Italy, one of the most congested Cities in the world charges about $1 per hour at a street parking space.
Something is seriously wrong in Los Angeles. The system is rigged for the parking lot operators who are funding your politician's campaigns. Or paying their legal defense bills! (see Tom Bradley 1989)..
Also, parking meter money is supposed to go towards the "cost of operating the district." This is in the California State Vehicle code. This does not suggest to me that the money can be used to:
a) raise revenue.
b) build a parking structure on the other side of the City which is exactly what has been happening for decades.
c) be used to make life so uncomfortable that people won't drive.
If our real goal is to free up space on the freeways, you have lots of drivers you can take off the road right now. A huge number of people are driving without drivers licences. 25% or more are driving without insurance..
We just need to fix the parking problems downtown and stop making excuses.
Chris Loos on July 14, 2011, at 01:19AM – #3
@Carter - Right? The amount of surface parking around DTLA is atrocious. This graphic from the MyFigueroa project really illustrates just how much of our space is devoted to storing cars.
downtown vibe on July 14, 2011, at 08:50AM – #4
That is exactly my point.
The CRA had four decades to build City owned parking structures downtown. They are the ones that tore down the buildings and put up parking lots in the name of redevelopment. Then they left the parking lots, CREATING blight.
The main purpose of the CRA is to address blight, so there is some irony there.
If there are cars in the parking spots, I would say that there is not a problem with the number of spaces, they are just spread out, unregulated, and controlled by criminals.
You also can't have unpredictable parking downtown.
Things that contribute to unpredictable parking:
1) Rush hour parking restrictions that don't corresond with business hours.
2) Signs that prohibit overnight parking on the streets.
Give me a break! There is nobody cleaning the gutters EVERY NIGHT between 3am and 5am. These were put up for other reasons.
The problem is most of the private lots are not open at night. You end up with no place for guests to leave a car.
3) Electronic meters that can change rates based on market value.
Why do you think we have a public hearing process for the meter changes? (Set forth by the State Vehicle Code)
It's so the businesses and other stakeholders can agree on what the correct FIXED meter rate should be. The parking spaces were never meant to be a commodity sold to the highest bidder. The main purpose is to keep access open for the adjacent businesses. If you want to insure turnover, JUST ENFORCE THE EXISTING TIME RESTRICTIONS.
The City can fix all of these things if the community demands that they be fixed.
Oscar on July 14, 2011, at 10:14AM – #5
That is all so true, unfortunately "the community" won't awake and demand to stop screwing with it, so the corrupted politicians will take advantage of the situation.
As a politician your number one priority is to create revenue so you can turn around and pour it into your community so you make yourself look good, get re-elected, and most importantly create opportunities to enrich yourself...
This parking system is designed to leech even more money of middle and low class people, in other words, more daily taxes to the already dying middle class.
Way to go, make it a higher cost of life rather than find ways to help... THANK YOU PERRY AND VILLARAIGOZA!!!!