Implementing market price public parking uses demand-based pricing strategies to adjust on-street parking rates according to occupancy, deterring long-term parking and encouraging turnover.
Implementing market price public parking increases the cost of driving to a location. Pricing parking disincentivizes the use of Single Occupancy Vehicle and encourages alternative forms of transportation, reducing VMT.
For more details, see CAPCOA, T-24. Implement Market Price Public Parking, pg. 179-182 for VMT reduction quantification.
To avoid placing cost burdens on low-income drivers, pricing strategies should include exemptions or discounts for residents in disadvantaged communities. Revenues from market-priced parking should be reinvested in local multimodal improvements, such as sidewalks, bike infrastructure, and first-last mile transit access. Transparent community engagement is critical to ensure buy-in and equitable outcomes.
Initial funding would be needed for parking occupancy monitoring, payment technology, signage, and enforcement, with ongoing funding for parking-management operations. Local parking revenues can support implementation and ongoing operations. Measure L and StanCOG-administered CMAQ/STBG funding can potentially support complementary multimodal improvements associated with parking-management programs, subject to program eligibility.
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency uses demand-responsive pricing to manage metered on-street parking and off-street parking facilities. Parking rates are adjusted using parking-demand data, with prices varying by location, time of day, and day of the week. The program is intended to maintain parking availability, reduce the time drivers spend searching for spaces, and encourage the use of transit, walking, and bicycling. SFMTA uses a consistent, data-driven process for setting and periodically adjusting parking rates.
