9.2     Data Collection and Analysis

A limited scope parking occupancy study was completed on April 10, 2002 between 08:00 and 18:00. The study consisted of parking occupancy counts on an hourly basis within the downtown and peripheral areas, specifically on Highway 12 and parallel roadways between Highway 2A and 58^th Street as illustrated on Exhibit 9-1. Parking data was collected for on-street, off-street and alley parking. A team of two surveyors, driver and observer, completed the parking data collection. The size and complexity of the study area required the route to be driven.

A parking inventory was completed for the entire study area. A significant portion of the available parking is unmarked and, therefore, the inventory represents an estimate of available parking. The inventory estimate is expected to be plus or minus 10%.

There may be significant variation in parking supply for unmarked curbside parking due to the potential for different vehicle sizes at different times. Likewise, areas with marked parking stalls may be utilized above the capacity level when three or more smaller vehicles squeeze into two defined parking spaces. Stall delineation helps to identify the number of available parking stalls, however, it may also serve to reduce the actual parking supply.

Likewise, the number of parking stalls identified in alleyways may vary significantly dependent on property lines and enforcement of "illegal" parking. The inventory for alleyway parking attempted to identify areas that were considered to be legal and available for parking, in addition to private parking areas that were accessible from adjacent alleyways.

It is important to provide a "cushion" in excess of necessary parking spaces to allow for the dynamics of vehicles moving in and out of parking spaces and to reduce the time required to search for the last available parking spaces. This cushion allows for improperly parked vehicles, snow cover, peak surges and minor construction. Transient parking supplies operate at peak efficiency when occupancy is 85%[1]; this is referred to as the practical capacity. When occupancy exceeds the practical capacity, drivers will experience delays and frustration while searching for a parking space. The parking supply may be perceived as inadequate even though there are spaces available for use. As a result, parkers may in the future avoid parking in the area and, hence, affect the viability of the business area. Practical capacity is used to determine the adequacy of a parking system.

Parking studies may not reflect repressed demand due to inadequacies in the parking supply. Three observations may indicate that deficiencies exist:

·        Large numbers of illegally parked vehicles.

·        Large numbers of vehicles parked significant distances from the primary parking generators.

·        High parking occupancy levels which occur for long periods of the day and/or where maximum accumulations reach the point of maximum capacity.

Index  Previous  Next