City of Palo Alto Downtown Parking Management Study: Draft Recommendations Midway Drive, Suite B345 San Diego, CA

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1 City of Palo Alto Downtown Parking Management Study: Draft Recommendations 3639 Midway Drive, Suite B345 San Diego, CA

2 Table of Contents I. Paid Parking... 4 A. Occupancy and Turnover... 4 B. Parking Meters and Pay Stations Overview Single-Space Meters Multi-Space Pay Stations... 8 C. Mobile Payment D. Comprehensive Parking Management System E. Active Monitoring Occupancy Rates Sensors F. Sales Tax G. On and Off-Street Rates and Time Limits On-Street Rates and Time Limits Off-Street Rates H. Off Street Infrastructure I. Special Events J. Distribution Model K. Community Outreach II. Permits III. Parking Guidance and Wayfinding A. Wayfinding B. Automated Parking Guidance Systems C. Current Wayfinding D. Parking Guidance Systems E. Digital Wayfinding IV. Enforcement V. Centralization of Palo Alto Parking Related Operations... Error! Bookmark not defined. A. Proposed Organizational Structure... Error! Bookmark not defined. B. Outsourcing of Parking Operations... Error! Bookmark not defined.

3 VI. Alternative Strategies A. Secure Existing Parking Supply B. Downtown Employee Mobility Program... 48

4 I. Paid Parking A. Occupancy and Turnover Recommendation: Implement a dynamic paid parking program in Downtown and replace the existing color zone system. Parking occupancy rates have reached a point in Downtown Palo Alto that visitors cannot easily find convenient parking, forcing drivers to circle slowly around the streets and parking facilities looking for a space. This creates further congestion and can also deter customers from visiting the downtown. As an industry standard, cities aim for a parking space vacancy rate of 10-15% (assuming ten spaces per block face), which translates to one to two spaces on an average block face. It s important to note that this 10-15% ratio is relative to the number of spaces per block. However, the afternoon and evening data collection periods revealed that many of the on- and off-street parking locations were over 80% occupied. The recommendation of paid parking is being introduced to support the City s occupancy and sustainability goals. Reducing congestion with a paid parking solution will ultimately save drivers time and reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, there is an unrealized value of parking in Palo Alto Paid parking has the potential to help fund the Palo Alto Transportation Management Association (TMA) in their efforts to encourage alternative modes of transportation and reduce singleoccupant vehicle trips. While the time limits set by the color zone rules facilitate parking space turnover, the color zones are no longer effective in helping Palo Alto reach an efficient occupancy rate. Data analysis revealed that many drivers are in fact following the color zones rules, with only a small number of drivers overstaying their allotted time. Additionally, most downtown time limit parking was only observed in one color zone during the day, meaning that much of parking downtown lasted just two to three hours. There was a small segment of drivers (6-8%) that were observed jumping between multiple zones to extend their stay downtown. While the number may not seem significant, there are still a few hundred vehicles hopping between color zones throughout the day causing further congestion and impacting parking availability. The color zones do create turnover, but because the same rule blankets the entire downtown, the zones are ineffective at encouraging drivers to steer away from high occupancy areas. Drivers likely circle the block looking for a convenient space, without an incentive to park a few blocks away where the occupancy may be lower. This creates an issue with congestion and does not help free up spaces in the highest occupancy areas downtown. Provided there are various ways to adjust parking rates, paid parking can be an effective tool to help alleviate high occupancy rates, making the parking experience downtown more efficient and convenient for drivers. Some business owners have expressed their concern that paid parking may discourage people

5 from visiting downtown because there are other nearby shopping destinations with free parking. While this may be true for some consumers, there is a segment of the population that may be more likely to go downtown and pay for parking if it means that parking is easier and quicker to find. It is important to recognize that parking is a limited and expensive resource, especially in a vibrant downtown like Palo Alto, and paid parking can help maximize this resource through strategic rate structures and technology enhancements. B. Parking Meters and Pay Stations Recommendations: Implement an on-street and off-street (surface lots only) paid parking solution. Evaluate parking technology equipment to address community needs and system capabilities. Distribute a parking technology solicitation by, including performance measures and maintenance requirements. Select parking technology vendor(s) by 6-8 months prior to projected implementation. 1. Overview The City should evaluate the variety of single-space meter and pay station options available and consider piloting equipment to determine the needs of Palo Alto and the community s preferences for the features offered by the parking technology providers. This assessment should serve as the baseline for a citywide solicitation that should be issued, and the vendor should be selected by six to eight months prior to when the City intends on having paid parking implemented and live. Per the City s CIP, this project is likely to begin in late 2017 and proceed through There are varied opinions in the parking industry on when to choose single-space meters or multi-space meters (pay stations) but ultimately the choice is dependent on the unique needs and desires of the community that they will serve. Below is a list of considerations to have when comparing the two types of meters: Ease of use: Single-space meters are generally simpler and easier to use. Signage: Single-space meters do not require as much signage because drivers see the meter when they park and know that they are required to pay. Pay stations require signage with arrows directing drivers to the pay station. Fees: There are typically higher credit card transaction fees with single-space meters to afford the technology required in every meter. Aesthetics: Pay stations reduce the amount of street furniture. Collections: Single-space meters have smaller coin vaults, meaning that they must be collected more frequently.

6 Revenue: Drivers can park at single-space meters with time left on it from a previous parker and save money, while pay stations typically do not allow for this. This means that pay stations can potentially increase revenue by around 10%. Meter reset sensors can be installed with singlespace meters that may increase revenue, but that is an added cost and it decreases hardware battery life. It is important to note that sensors are typically associated with single-space meters. Though multi-space pay stations can be integrated with sensors, the process becomes more complex. Whereas with single-space meters the ratio of meter to sensor is 1:1, the multi-space to sensor ratio range may be much greater depending on the number of spaces a multi-space pay station is configured to accept payment from. Enforcement: Paying by space or by license plate at pay stations can be more efficient and less labor intensive to enforce because each meter does not need to be inspected. In terms of payment security for the City and customers, most vendors today are annual certified from a third-party Qualified Security Assessor (QSAs), recognized by the PCI Security Council for Level 1 Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS) and Payment Application Data Security Standard (PA-DSS). When considering a potential vendor however, the City should verify and ensure these certifications are current. When soliciting meter vendors, it is important to include performance measures and maintenance requirements in the solicitation specifications. By binding financial penalties to hardware and software support services and requirements, it will ensure that the City receives assistance in a timely manner. This is critical because any downtime in the system is potential lost revenue for the City. 2. Single-Space Meters The convenience and ease of use of single-space meters is what makes them effective for dense commercial areas. Along main streets such as University Avenue and Hamilton Avenue, it is recommended that the City install single-space meters. Thus, visitors will be able to quickly and easily pay the meter nearest their vehicle and proceed in the direction they are going. Also, given these commercial areas attract many visitors, single-space meters will avoid lines forming at pay stations during peak hours. Variations of single-space meters Smart-meters, or single-space meters that accept credit card payments, will provide the City with a backoffice dashboard and real-time access to parking information and data related to its meters. This can allow Palo Alto to monitor the meters and be notified of any maintenance issues. These meters must meet the Payment Card Industry (PCI) security standards for credit card transactions. Additionally, all payment information can be tracked and audited to ensure proper revenue reconciliation during collections. Most single-space meter vendors offer back-office management systems that allow staff to edit the display screen, manage rate structures, and run a variety of reports. Smart single-space meters are estimated in

7 price near $750 per meter (including pole and housing), with an additional $9 per meter per month approximately for data management in addition to transaction fees. Below is a map of proposed single-space meters. Given on the location of single-space meters in the core of the Downtown and based on DIXON s recommendation of three-tiered pricing zones, Tier 1 will be comprised of majority single-space meters. Figure 1: Recommended On-Street Single-Space Meter Coverage

8 3. Multi-Space Pay Stations Multi-space meters or pay stations normally serve as the payment terminal for roughly 6-7 on-street parking spaces or more when installed in off-street locations or angled parking. Like the smart singlespace meters, the pay stations offer back-office and real time access for meter information. Pay stations can be configured to accept multiple forms of payment such as credit card, coin, and bills. Pay stations, depending on their features, may cost between $6,000 and $10,000 per unit with monthly data management fees between $45 and $75 per unit per month. There are three main operational configurations pay stations: pay and display, pay by space, and pay by plate Pay and Display: The driver parks, purchases parking session time at the pay station, and then returns to their vehicle to display the receipt on their dashboard. Pay by Space: The driver parks in a numbered space, and then pays at the pay station using the parking space number. The driver does not have to return to their vehicle because their payment is electronically tied to their space number. Pay by Plate: The driver enters their license plate number at the pay station to record their payment. This method does not require drivers to return to their car as well. Multi-space pay stations Outlined below is table highlighting important efficiencies and limitations with each of the three payment configurations on pay stations. Pay and Display Pay by Space Pay by Plate Display permit Spaces numbered Marking optional Unable to assign rates to spaces Ability to assign rates to spaces Can assign rates to zones/area Increased potential for revenue leakage via pass-back Visual inspection enforcement Least integrated with mobile payment solutions Least user-friendly (return to vehicle) Less opportunity for revenue leakage Enforcement using wireless handheld units Easily integrates with mobile payment solutions User-friendly Table 1: Efficiencies and limitations associated with pay station payment configurations No opportunity for revenue leakage Mobile-LPR enforcement Easily integrates with mobile payment solutions User-friendly Many municipalities tend to favor pay by space and pay by plate over pay and display because they do not require drivers to return to their car with a receipt after purchasing time. These methods are not only more convenient and efficient for patrons, but they are also easier to enforce because they don t require enforcement officers to look at each individual dashboard for proof of payment.

9 One advantage for the driver of pay by space is that the driver is not expected to remember and enter in their license plate number at the pay station. However, pay by plate payment is increasing in popularity with the advancements in mobile LPR technology, the preferred enforcement method when utilizing pay by plate technology. The negative connotation around pay by plate and customers not knowing or remembering their license plate number is subsiding. Additionally, as an added convenience, subject to City policy, pay by space and pay by plate systems allow the driver to pay for and add additional parking time onto their existing parking session from any pay station or from their cellphone if the time limit has not been reached. To make the parking experience in Palo Alto as simple for visitors as possible, it is recommended that the City implement pay stations with the pay by space configuration. These pay stations should be located onstreet in the peripheral areas of the downtown to avoid the infrastructure cost of installing single-space meters for every parking space. Ideally there should be a pay station located on both ends of each block face so drivers can park, walk in the direction of their destination, pay for parking as they pass the pay station, and proceed on. It is recommended that the City install them facing parallel to the streets because lines may form at the pay stations. This will prevent any lines from blocking the walkways. Regarding the off-street surface lots, it is recommended that the City place at a minimum, one pay station in each surface lot that provide any hourly-parking. Much like on-street spaces, off-street surface lots configured with multi-space pay stations will be intended for motorists with relatively short-stay periods in hopes of redirecting long-term parkers to the garage facilities. It is imperative with the implementation of paid hourly parking that the pay stations are in working order. Also, with pay stations it is important to ensure that there is adequate signage to direct patrons to the meters. Given Palo Alto does not get snowfall, space numbers may be painted on the pavement or on the curb instead of using pole mounted signage. The map below shows the recommended on-street blocks (highlighted in yellow) for the installation of pay stations. Additionally, it is recommended that the City utilize pay stations in all surface lots and, like single-space meter placement in Tier 1, pay stations should be the primary technology utilized off-street in Tier Zone 2 and 3. Currently, off-street hourly surface lots are treated much like on-street spaces in terms of time limits. For consistency and to minimize costs, the installation of pay stations in surface lots in lieu of gate access should be sufficient. Furthermore, many motorists are accustomed to paying for parking at a pay station in surface lots and a similar configuration in Palo Alto would not be confusing. If the City determines that an access control or LPR-based garage solution is not viable, pay stations should be installed within the garage locations to manage garage payments for hourly parking. Additionally, it is suggested that when the City reaches the procurement and vendor selection phase of paid parking technology it utilize the opportunity to run a pilot and trial period of multiple meters and pay stations throughout the Downtown. Doing so will provide staff, community and visitors to test the proposed equipment options and assist the City in determining the ideal paid parking technology solution for Palo Alto. The City of Sausalito successfully implemented a similar pilot in spring 2015 with upwards of 7 different pay station and meter vendors. The trial lasted roughly 60-days and invited the community test the numerous technologies and provide feedback to City staff. The City subsequently chose a combination of both single-space and multi-space pay stations for its Downtown.

10 Figure 2: Recommended On-Street Multi-Space Pay Station Coverage C. Mobile Payment Recommendation: Integrate a mobile payment application with any paid parking technology solution. It will be important to consider the mobile payment providers currently integrated at Stanford University and in other surrounding cities. Doing so provides with an ease of use based on consistency and familiarity. Ultimately however, the City should choose the provider that best fits the needs of Palo Alto.

11 Mobile payment display Many cities choose to implement mobile payment or pay by web as an option to improve customer service by giving drivers more payment options. Patrons can create an account through a phone app or website to pay for parking, which also allows a driver to pay for their parking time without accessing the parking hardware. Depending upon city policy, drivers can be provided the option to extend their time remotely. Mobile payment services require drivers to enter in their license plate number (or space number), which serves as the payment identifier for enforcement officers. In the case of a pay and display configuration as the hardware form of payment, a mobile payment remains simple. The driver would open their mobile application and make a payment in the same method as a pay by plate or pay by space configuration. The mobile payment application would request the driver input their license plate number as well. Provided the mobile payment system may be integrated with enforcement handhelds, the enforcement officer would run a query through the mobile application to verify payment has been made for any vehicle without a receipt displayed. Mobile payment technology can to be utilized with both single-space meter and multi-space pay stations, regardless of payment configuration on the meter. Typically, the mobile payment vendor offers a turnkey solution for implementing their system, which includes signage and promotions without an additional cost to the municipality. Some vendors also offer a while label service, which allows cities to utilize their own branding for the service. This allows cities to promote mobile payment through a city-owned website. Utilization of mobile payment falls between 3% and 10% in most cities, and users pay a small transaction fee, usually between $0.10 and $0.35. Mobile payment can be integrated with both single-space and pay stations. While the current utilization figures may seem low, with the continued widespread use of smart phone technology, it is recommended that Palo Alto implement a mobile payment system with all parking meter technology solutions. D. Comprehensive Parking Management System Recommendations: With the potential implementation of paid parking and re-structuring of the City s current permit program including employee permits, it is recommended that the City solicit a comprehensive parking management system. This management system shall allow for integration with other management and payment platforms such as Clipper 2.0 The comprehensive system should enable the City to monitor its permit program, allowing customers to create user accounts, apply and renew current parking permits. The comprehensive system should allow the City to monitor issued citations and provide customers the opportunity to pay citations online, in real-time.

12 As part of the comprehensive management system, the City should ensure that the selected system allows for intuitive reporting features for both revenue and performance measures. Along with a centralized parking department, the City also should anticipate implementing a unified citation and permit management system (CPMS). The CPMS would offer act as an integrated solution allowing users to establish an online account with the City and manage all permit requests. This would include all employee parking permits and residential parking permits. Customers would have the opportunity to submit any required documentation via a web portal and the City or the designated vendor could efficiently verify the application and permit fulfillment process. The CPMS would also provide online renewal capabilities and perform customer payment processes. In addition, utilizing the CPMS would automate the City s current permit waitlist process providing the ability to manage and adjust capacity thresholds utilizing CPMS management tools. Most importantly, all permit data, including financial reconciliation details, would be immediately available via the CPMS in real-time. The system can also be integrated to transmit data to the designated City administrative management systems. With a proposed permit management solution, the City should also plan to implement an integrated citation management system, a necessary and efficient tool as the City considers the installation of paid parking technology. A turnkey CPMS solution will provide updated handheld technology hardware for the enforcement officers which if needed, can be incorporated to integrate with a potential LPR system. In addition, the CPMS will be integrated with the paid parking infrastructure to provide the parking enforcement officers with real-time paid parking status as well as valid permit status. The CPMS will allow an enforcement officer to be more effective and efficient will working their downtown beats. Like permits, the CPMS will provide the City will real-time access to parking citation data, delinquent collection details and financial analysis tools. The City should not only consider implementing the CPMS, they should also consider a turnkey CPMS solution that includes a private contractor to provide the customer support service and delinquent collection processes necessary to proactively manage a citation and permit management solution. The CPMS will be an important tool for the City to effectively and efficiently manage their parking program. E. Active Monitoring Recommendations: Conduct bi-annual downtown occupancy studies to determine parking rates and time limits adjustments, as needed. Consider integrating parking space sensors with the meters for real-time occupancy, enforcement data and the ability for meter time resets. Monitor quarterly sales tax revenue to assess the overall impact of paid parking. 1. Occupancy Rates Active monitoring can help ensure program efficiency by keeping the parking rate structure up to date with current occupancy statistics. It is recommended that the City evaluate on- and off-street parking occupancy on a Thursday and a Saturday on a bi-annual basis to understand how parking rates and time

13 limits are impacting occupancy rates. Ideally, occupancy rates by block face should be collected during the morning (9:00am), afternoon (12:00pm), mid-afternoon (3:00pm), and evening (7:00pm). Based on the City s findings, appropriate adjustments can be made. Areas downtown with an average occupancy rate over 80% should be priced the highest with the lowest time limits because the industry standard is that 80% occupancy and above is considered full. Below is list of potential adjustments to make from bi-annual evaluation results based on average daily occupancy rates: Clusters of blocks that increased from below 80% occupancy during the previous evaluation to at or above 80% occupancy should have the price increased by $0.25 per hour or have the time limit lowered by 30 minutes. Clusters of blocks that decreased from at or above 80% occupancy during the previous evaluation to below 80% occupancy should have the price lowered by $0.25 per hour or the time limit extended by 30 minutes. The off-street lots and garages that have the highest average occupancies during the most recent evaluation should cost more per hour than the locations with lower average occupancies. Off-street parking should cost less and/or have longer time limits than on-street parking. For the bi-annual evaluations, there are two main methods for monitoring occupancy. The first option is that the City can choose to have data collectors manually count cars, and the second method is to install meter sensors. Manually counting will likely provide the most accurate information because it does not rely on the efficacy of sensor technology. This method also costs significantly less because it does not require any additional hardware, software, installations, or upkeep. However, with manually counting it is harder to provide a snapshot of the data instead data is collected within certain time periods. With sensors, data can be collected in real-time 24 hours per day, seven-days per week. 2. Sensors Meters can be integrated with parking space sensor technology to monitor the spaces 24 hours per day. This data can be integrated with parking guidance systems, websites, and mobile apps to provide realtime information to visitors. There are currently several application providers that can post parking data at no charge. Sensors are typically embedded in the pavement in the center of each parking space and, most recently, vendors have introduced pole mounted sensors. Sensor batteries often last around three years. Parking space sensors can cost approximately $250 per unit from leading parking technology vendors including installation in addition to ongoing monthly monitoring fees that vary from $6 to $10 per installed space. There have been several new sensor-based technology companies who have recently introduced themselves into the marketplace at significantly lower costs however, many of these technologies are not as proven across the industry. Example of an in-ground parking sensor

14 Using meter sensors to monitor occupancy rates can be an efficient way for the City to access real-time data. However, it is important to realize that sensors may not always be completely accurate. Some cities choose to tie in performance standards when soliciting vendors to ensure that the data they are paying for is usable. The City is currently managing a sensor pilot program with VIMOC Technologies. VIMOC has installed including series of surface-level sensors throughout several on-street parking spaces throughout Downtown. Many of VIMOC s on-street sensors are installed in the downtown core where occupancy figures from DIXON s data collected were highest. The City may be able to utilize this infrastructure to monitor ongoing occupancy rates. Some of the parking meter vendors offer an integrated sensor that provides the opportunity to reset the meter. A meter reset occurs when a vehicle pulls out of the space it was parked in, the sensor determines there is no longer an object parked there and then automatically resets the meter to zero time. It is estimated that this can increase revenue by up to 10%. The City of Santa Monica has implemented the meter reset technology and increased their annual parking revenue by nearly $1 million as a result. Sensors also assist with parking enforcement by identifying violators who don t pay to park within a set amount of time. Without a sensor, the meter will report that the time is expired, but there is no way of knowing if a car is still parked in the space without an enforcement officer checking. The sensor can also work with the meter to prevent people from going back and feeding the meters for more time in locations with time limits. The sensor can report that the vehicle has parked for more than the allotted time, even if the meter has been paid. Sensors also provide the opportunity to provide a designated grace period in a parking space. The City can opt to provide a courtesy period to allow a driver to park prior to requiring payment at the meter. Sensor solutions can become an expensive resource. It is important to also consider advancements in technologies beyond the parking industry. As the smart cities movement and the technologies associated continue to gain momentum, there may be an opportunity to multi-purpose new street light and smart city technology and integrate with parking as well. Thus, eliminating the need for standalone sensors. To determine the best sensor solution for the Palo Alto, staff will need to define the overall objective associated with any sensor installation. Whether a sensor system will be used to monitor occupancy for forecasting purposes, to distribute real-time on street availability or to provide a meter reset capability, these features will determine not only the overall investment required by the City but will also mandate the type of equipment needed for a sensor installation in the City. F. Sales Tax As the City of Palo Alto considers the implementation of paid parking through smart-parking technology, the primary goal of the paid parking program should be to improve the availability of parking for residents, employees, visitors and the surrounding community through increased turnover. It is recommended that the City monitor monthly sales tax revenues overtime to see the impact of paid parking. This was a similar approach taken by the City and County of San Francisco and its creation of SFpark. Much like Palo Alto, SFpark s goal was to deliver transportation, social, and environmental benefits as well as to improve parking availability and customer access to commercial districts. SFpark not only achieved these goals but also increased the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) parking revenue by nearly $

15 million per year. Through the installation of smart-parking meters and the management of time limits in pilot areas, SFpark management increased its net annual revenue from meters by approximately $3.3 million from FY2011 to FY2013. Furthermore, SFpark also significantly improved the utilization of the city s garages, helping them to return them to their original purpose: making it easier to find parking for short-term parkers and increasing the economic vitality of the city rather than just places for commuters to park. As part of San Francisco s effort, all publicly available parking facilities pay a 0.25% parking tax. This has been a process instituted by the City Assessor to help evaluate changes in parking demand in private parking garages or lots. To prevent identification of individual facilities the city has aggregated parking tax receipts. San Francisco has been successful in its parking tax implementation thus far in public facilities. Annual parking tax collected in pilot areas increased by $6.5 million, or 43%, during the same period, compared to a 3% increase in the rest of the city, however it is unclear what portion of that is attributable to SFpark. For the City and County of San Francisco, the upgrade of paid parking in the form of smart credit cardenabled meters has aided the city and indirectly increased the economic viability. Parking has become more readily available for short-term parkers who are visiting the city s commercial districts. In addition, rather than having spaces occupied by commuters that park all day, parking space availability has increased short-term turnover. Given Palo Alto s vibrant Downtown business district, paid on-street parking should allow short-term parkers to visit Downtown and find increased availability with an increase in parking space turnover and providing more efficient infrastructure to enforce parking policies. G. On and Off-Street Rates and Time Limits Recommendations: Implement a tiered zone parking rate with time limits for on-street parking. Implement a tiered zone parking rate without time limits for off-street parking. Currently the City of Palo Alto offers both on- and off-street time limited parking for free with the color zone parking system. On-street two-hour and off-street three-hour time limits are enforced between 8:00am and 5:00pm, Monday through Friday. There is no parking enforcement on weekends or holidays. With parking meters is will be simple for the City to make changes to the parking program. Parking meter backend software will allow the City of Palo Alto to customize and modify meter display screens and rate structures. This provides the City with the flexibility to change meter rates overtime based on occupancy rates and evaluations, without being locked in to a certain system. 1. On-Street Rates and Time Limits Varied parking rates can be an effective tool for encouraging higher utilization of historically lowoccupancy areas. The goal is to free up parking in the highest occupancy areas to reach between a maximum of 80% and 85% occupancy. Doing so, this will make parking a more convenient experience for downtown visitors, and may also reduce congestion from drivers circling for a parking space. Additionally, having lower rates in off-street locations can encourage longer-term parkers to park off-street, thus freeing up the convenient parking spaces outside of store fronts for people making quick trips downtown.

16 There are two main types of rate structures that may be considered by the City. The first is a tiered rate model, and the second is a pay-to-stay model. For the tiered rate model, hourly parking rates would vary by location based on convenience and historical occupancy rates. For example, lower prices on the periphery of downtown can encourage drivers to park further away and walk a few blocks to their destination. On the other hand, the higher demand spaces would be priced at a premium. This model can be coupled with time limits to ensure adequate turnover. In contrast, a pay-to-stay model is based on the amount of time spent parking. Therefore, drivers may pay a lower hourly rate to begin with, but as their length of stay increases, the hourly rate gradually increases as well. The purpose of this model is to deter patrons from parking long-term on-street, but it still gives them the option to if they are willing to pay premium pricing for convenience. While this method may work for some cities, it is not recommended for on-street parking in the City of Palo Alto because of the particularly high occupancy rates downtown. The implementation of a pay-to-stay model may be difficult on-street because, without time limits, it is not expected that there will be enough turnover downtown. Due to the affluence of the surrounding communities, there may be a significant portion of drivers who are willing to pay to park in a convenient space for the entire day downtown with this premium pricing model. This could potentially exacerbate the parking occupancy rates for the most convenient spaces downtown instead of relieve them. Based on the occupancy data collected in Palo Alto, it is recommended that the City implement a tiered rate structure with time limits. Demand for parking varies across the downtown, so by implementing a zonal rate structure, on-street and surface lot spaces will be more accurately priced based on their demand.

17 This will in turn help to distribute demand more evenly throughout the downtown. The following map outlines the proposed locations for three recommended tiers: Figure 3: Recommended Tiered Rate Zones Tier 1 is applied to part of Hamilton Avenue, University Avenue, and side streets. Tier 2 is applied to two separate areas of downtown between Hamilton Avenue to Forest Avenue as well as Parts of Webster Street, Cowper Street, and Tasso Street. Finally, Tier 3 is applied to the outer corners of the downtown along with all of Lytton Avenue. The placement of these zones is based on the Thursday and Saturday daily average occupancy rates for each block face over the course of the three data collection months. The next two maps show the tiered zones overlaid onto the heat map data to show how the zones relate to the average occupancy rates. Tier 1 was meant to encompass the highest occupancy areas, Tier 2 captures the mid-range occupancy rates, and Tier 3 is for the lower occupancy areas for both Thursday and Saturday.

18 Figure 4: Thursday Daily Average Occupancy

19 Figure 5: Saturday Daily Average Occupancy When determining appropriate hourly rates, it is important to consider nearby comparable cities to understand the current market rate for parking. Of the comparable cities with paid parking, the lowest downtown rates were $0.50-$1.00 per hour in Alameda, San Mateo, and Sausalito. On the other side of the spectrum, Santa Monica has on-street rates reaching $2.00 per hour and Berkeley has the highest rates at $3.25 per hour. Because areas of downtown Palo Alto experience extremely high occupancy rates, it is recommended that the Tier 1 zone should be priced on the higher end of the rate spectrum to effectively mitigate congestion. Tiers 2 and 3 should be priced mid-spectrum to be on par with the rates in the comparable cities in the area. The City will need to ensure that they have an enforceable policy in place that prevents vehicles from parking on the space block for more than the designated time limit. Additionally, the proposed time limits were applied to the tier zones to ensure sufficient turnover rates and encourage longer-term onstreet parking towards the periphery. The recommended rate structure and time limits for the three tiers is outlined in the table below:

20 Tier Hourly Rate Max Time Limit 1 $ hour 2 $ hour 3 $ hour Table 2: On-street Tiered Rates and Time Limits The City also sells a separate permit that allows for the purchase of a closed/rented on-street space (permanent valet space or in the event of construction, the ability to pay for the use of a single parking space). The current price of this permit is $79 per week. With the potential implementation of paid parking and increase in employee permit costs, the City will need to ensure that the price of a closed/rented weekly permit correlates to on-street paid parking rates. This is particularly important when considering paid on-street parking as a single parking space is reliant on the consistent turnover of vehicles paying to park. If this space is no longer available to the public, the City is in loss of parking inventory and any associated revenue. The Study examined similar per space permits in surrounding cities and determined that Palo Alto s current cost of $79 per week. The City also sells a separate permit that allows for the purchase of a closed/rented on-street space (permanent valet space or in the event of construction, the ability to pay for the use of a single parking space). The current price of this permit is $79 per week. With the potential implementation of paid parking and increase in employee permit costs, the City will need to ensure that the price of a closed/rented weekly permit correlates to on-street paid parking rates. This is particularly important when considering paid on-street parking as a single parking space is reliant on the consistent turnover of vehicles paying to park. If this space is no longer available to the public, the City will lose the parking inventory and any associated revenue. The Study examined similar per space permits in surrounding cities and determined that Palo Alto s current cost of $79 per week differs when compared to other cities. Some cities have a rate structures, dependent on size of space or type of space, metered or non-metered, while others have administrative fees associated with the permit. For example, the City of Berkeley charges $79 per week or $15.80 per day per space plus the $15 per temporary No Parking sign. The City of San Francisco charges a tiered rate structure that escalates in cost as approximate footage increases and the quantity of temporary No Parking signs increases. Permit costs start at $239 week and range up to roughly $800 per week. Metered locations incur a fee of $10 per space per day as well. The City of Santa Monica permit fees are similar to San Francisco in terms of rate increases. The city charges $79 per day for a meter space and $76 per non-metered space for a standard 20-foot parking space but the cost increases as the size of the space increases. If one was to purchase a permit for a 100-foot, the cost is roughly $154 for a metered space and approximately $100 for a non-metered space. The City of San Jose s permit structure is a bit different. The city uses a Tow Away Permit to authorize the closure of a metered space for temporary work. The cost is $30 per permit, $0.53 for each tow-away sign

21 placed at each meter, and either $8 (for a smart meter) or $4 (coin meter) per day. An example would be the closure of three meters for two days, totaling roughly $56. For the City of Palo Alto, it is encouraged that the City review the current price of its closed/rented onstreet permit cost. Based on surrounding municipalities, Palo Alto s current price per permit is lower in comparison. It is apparent that other cities may charge a similar base cost for a permit but utilize other factors effected by the permit to increase the total cost, such as parking space footage lost or the need for temporary signage to be installed by City. It is recommended that the total cost for a weekly space permit (in a metered space), including any administrative fees associated, be equal to or greater than the potential total revenue per metered space during paid parking hours. Therefore, if a space is $1 per hour and paid parking is enforced for ten hours, then the cost to rent that space is at least $10 per day prior to any per space footage fees or administrative costs that may be associated with temporarily deactivating that parking space. For a non-metered space, it is suggested the City maintain the current cost of $79 however the City should ensure that any additional costs related to the space closures are recovered. 2. Off-Street Rates It is recommended that the City of Palo Alto implement the tiered rate model without time limits for offstreet hourly parking. Essentially, the off-street locations that generally have lower occupancy rates should be more affordable than the higher demand locations. This can encourage drivers to park in garages that are otherwise underutilized, thus freeing up space in the higher demand locations. No matter what on- and off-street time limits are chosen, it is imperative that the City offers longer time limits in the off-street locations in comparison to on-street parking. Therefore, we are recommending that the City eliminate time limits in the garages and surface lots. The purpose of this is to encourage short term on street parking with higher turnover rates and long term affordable pricing for off street locations. After implementation, with further evaluation and the bi-annual occupancy studies, the City can assess the need for time limits, however, it will be more efficient to control access to the garages and promote turnover and vehicle transition through the use automation and the proposed hourly rate model rather than manually monitor vehicle activity with parking enforcement officers. The next two heat maps show the average daily occupancy of off-street hourly spaces for the Thursday and Saturday data collection periods.

22 Figure 7: Saturday Daily Average: Off-street Hourly Spaces There are a variety of paid off-street parking rates offered by the comparable cities ranging from $0.50 per hour in Monterey to $3.70 per hour in Santa Monica. While Berkeley has the highest on-street rates ($3.25/hr.), the Berkeley off-street rate is $2.00 per hour. Berkeley, Monterey, Santa Monica, and Sausalito all offer off-street parking at a reduced rate compared to on-street parking.

23 Based on the initial on-street tiered map, the off-street locations are located in the following tiers: Location Tier B (Ramona/University) 1 C (Ramona/Lytton) 1 D (Hamilton/Waverley) 1 F (Florence/Lytton) 1 H (Cowper/Hamilton) 1 S/L (Bryant/Lytton) 1 T (Lytton/Kipling) 1 CC (Civic Center) 2 N (Emerson/Ramona) 2 WC (Webster/Cowper) 2 A (Emerson/Lytton) 3 K (Lytton/Waverley) 3 O (Emerson/High) 3 P (High/Hamilton) 3 R (High/Alma) 3 Table 3: Off-Street It is recommended that free parking should be eliminated from the garages and an hourly rate should be implemented. Based upon the tier zone, the City can establish a lower hourly rate for the initial 1 to 4 hours, however, the rate should be escalated once the vehicle exceeds the initial time limit. This shortterm rate band should be established with a higher daily maximum to encourage alternative transportation opportunities. The current cost for an All-Day Permit is $17.50 and this rate is not consistent with the surrounding markets and the current demand for parking in Palo Alto. There should be a twenty-four-hour maximum with a daily start time for the new day. The new off-street rate also needs to be affordable compared to parking on street but also slightly higher in price when compared to an employee parking permit (expanded on in Section 2). The cost of parking off-street for an employee or someone frequenting downtown daily for an extended period should be more expensive than the cost of an employee permit or an alternative mode of transportation such as public transit. Therefore, the following off-street rates would be consistent with other similar downtown markets and coincide with the proposed on-street rates: Tier Hourly Rate Fee Escalation Daily Maximum Escalation Time to Daily Max 1 $1.25/hr. (First 3 hrs.) $2.00/each 15 min (after 3 hrs.) $ hrs.

24 2 $1.00/hr. (First 4 hrs.) $2.00/each 15 min (after 4 hrs.) $ hrs. 3 $1.00/hr. (First 4 hrs.) $2.00/each 15 min (after 4 hrs.) $ hrs. Table 4: Proposed Off-street Rates The escalation timeframe to achieve the daily maximum rate can vary by tier zone, however, this proposed rate structure is meant to encourage vehicle turnover and discourage long term non-permit parking. H. Off Street Infrastructure Recommendations: Install access control systems (gate arms) at all city-owned parking garages. (Note: Off-street surface lots will utilize multi-space pay stations) Eliminate off-street time limits and implement an off-street hourly rate that encourages vehicle turnover after a designated time (3 or 4 hours), depending upon the facility location. To more efficiently manage off-street parking, it is recommended that the City install revenue control equipment at the garage locations. There are several equipment options that can be considered by the City and a traditional gate system would be the simplest solution to implement. It s important to highlight that a traditional gate system supported by pay-onfoot technology for hourly parking costs on Parking access revenue control system average $30,000 per lane not including any civil work that might be required. A gated system could allow for automated access for permitted vehicle and provide many efficiencies to manage the proposed hourly pay rates, minimize backups and traffic flow and, most importantly, eliminate the need for parking enforcement officers to check each vehicle for proper permits and daily passes. Some of the stakeholders expressed a concern about gating the garages and suggested an automated system that would be managed by license plate recognition (LPR) technology. This advanced solution costs approximately $17,500 per lane and allows for free flow access to the garage locations. The system requires at least two fixed mounted cameras per dedicated lane. Speed inhibitors are typically installed to slow vehicle access to ensure plate capture. One of the cameras utilizes infrared technology to illuminate the license plate characters thus ensuring they can be read in any type of weather condition. The second camera physically reads the license plate characters and the software validates the information to the permit management database and business rule requirements for that specific garage entrance. Like the traditional gated system, pay-on-foot technology is used for non-permitted vehicles and drivers must input their license plate in order to pay for their parking time. The LPR solution provides a fully integration parking management system that would incorporate the garage permit database and

25 citations would be mailed to vehicles that exit the facility without paying for their parking time and fees would be collected along with any associated penalties designated by the City (like parking citation collections). This solution is fully automated, however, like parking citation collections, it is not full proof, but it is an option that the City should consider. Regardless of the type of access control technology implemented, the efficiencies and automation will reduce the burden of enforcement and promote a more customer friendly, pro-active garage management approach to parking. Combining the implementation of the proposed overhead sensors along with paid parking and access control technology will promote a clear understanding of the Palo Alto parking regulation and payment requirements. This should have a substantial impact on revenue to fund ongoing facility maintenance needs along with funding the overall objectives of the TMA. In addition, the access control technology and proposed overhead sensors will have the ability to integrate into the City s comprehensive parking management system and allow the City to oversee permit status and real-time occupancy data. This type of integration is important in the continual monitoring of payments transaction data and occupancy history enabling the City to make informed, data-driven decisions as it relates to pricing and availability. I. Special Events Recommendations: Establish a special event parking rate model and the criteria requirements for utilization. Coordinate and promote alternative transportation solutions for special events that impact downtown Consider applying special event rates to all paid parking locations (on and off-street). A tiered rate model can be easily modified using the meters for special events that impact downtown parking. Special event rates may help motivate drivers to park farther away or seek alternative modes of transportation. A special event flat-rate can be integrated and implemented for both on- and off-street parking utilizing the recommended parking technology. Any flat rate should be commensurate with the value of the existing rates for on- and off-street parking locations. Promoting alternative transportation options should be encouraged throughout all levels of special event planning and promotions. For example, there are several cross promotions occurring with services such as Lyft and Uber that both promote a City event and their services to encourage other transportation sources and reduce parking demand. Uber has created UberEVENTS, which allows those planning an event to enter the event through Uber s website and request guest passes. Uber then sends those passes to the event planner for distribution. Each pass has a code

26 attached which is entered into Uber app, for a discounted ride. Municipalities across the country are coordinating directly with these resources to encourage alternative transportation. The City of Coral Gables, Fla. has partnered with Uber as well, to help citizens bypass traffic through designated drop-off and pick-up zones and provide promotional codes for rides. Coral Gables is also utilizing Uber s promotional codes for city events. Special event planning should incorporate an accessible location for the drop-off and pick-up of passengers and a designated location for bus parking. To apply a special event rate, the City will need to establish criteria for when the rate would apply, the cost amount and the advanced notification requirements. Based upon these criteria, the City will have the option to increase special event pricing for any downtown special events, depending upon need. The proposed garage technology and on-street parking infrastructure can also support customizable event rates. Approved special event pricing would override all other rate models, including the proposed evening rate model for Thursday, Friday and Saturday. It is important to keep in mind that special event rates will require increased hours of enforcement for any additional times and any policies relating to evening or special event parking regulations will have likely have an impact on the residential parking zones. J. Distribution Model Recommendations: Upon implementation of a paid parking solution, establish a revenue distribution model that allocates monies to finance parking technology equipment and software, to support the existing operation and for parking structure maintenance and potential future parking developments. Based upon the suggested on and off-street rate models, the City should establish a distribution model for the anticipated increase in revenue. It is recommended that revenues are initially allocated to the capital costs of the paid parking technology (hardware), as well as both planned CIP projects, wayfinding and APGS/PARCS systems. In addition, a portion of parking revenues should be allocated to the Palo Alto Transportation Management Association (TMA) to support mode shift and single-occupancy vehicle trip reductions, to a City-operated shuttle program, and to supporting the existing parking operation as whole. This model could potentially absolve the current parking assessment district program that business owners pay into. A Financial Modeling Workbook has been developed for Palo Alto (included in Section 3) to help the City with projections and financial modeling of the various parking and permit rate structures. The Workbook also includes estimated hardware costs to implement an on street paid parking solution, including permit rate adjustments, single-space meters, multi-space pay stations and PARCS infrastructure. There are a variety of cost proposals offered to municipalities to acquire parking infrastructure and technology. Vendors offer turnkey and a la carte options. Many cities consider a municipal lease program to acquire parking infrastructure and technology as a method to expedite the process of installing new parking equipment. Municipal lease programs often do not require a down payment, and they are not subject to future balloon payments. These advantages can make leasing a more consistent and affordable option for many cities, and by the end of the lease the municipality can negotiate the option to buy the

27 infrastructure. Alternatively, bond issue referendums can be a costly and lengthy process, and there is no guarantee that the public will support it. Bonds are not commonly used to acquire parking infrastructure. K. Community Outreach Recommendation: Launch a proactive education campaign to promote changes to the downtown parking program. The City of Palo Alto should launch a proactive education campaign to educate the public about the new zones, rates, time limits, hours of operation, and technologies. The education campaign should focus on the unrealized value of parking and the effort to provide continues funding for the TMA, as well as the environmental benefit of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by reducing congestion and encouraging alternative modes of transportation. The City may engage the efforts of the TMA to coordinate community workshops and visits to local businesses to assist in education the community about changes related to parking and transportation. Recently, the City of Boise, ID undertook a similar parking education campaign last year, creating a parking brand for the city, termed PARKBOI. PARKBOI is Boise s integrated parking system that aims to deliver more convenient was to help one find and pay for public parking in Downtown Boise. This includes better use of on-street, short-term parking in core locations Downtown, long-term parking information in garages and surface lots, and flexible payment choices and information related to parking rates around Downtown. In addition, PARKBOI provides information about special event pricing, the ability for one to pay a parking citation, and locate alternative modes of transportation offered through the City. The campaign is customer-friendly and intuitive, educating those traveling to the downtown about how and where to park.

28 II. Permits Recommendations: Promote alternative modes of transportation by increasing the cost of the downtown employee parking permit to be consistent with the cost of the subsidized transit pass. Ensure that annual parking permit costs are less expensive than on- and off-street hourly parking and equal to or less than RPP employee permits Consider permit pricing in comparable cities when determining permit rates. Offer a reduced-price permit for low-income employees, similar to the RPP program and offer more payment options, including monthly and quarterly purchase. Permit revenues are derived from long -term parking subscriptions, most often purchased by drivers that frequent the area for work or other daily commitments. Based on a review of the City s current employee permit cost and to assist in the City s effort to reduce single-occupant vehicle trips to Downtown, it is suggested that the City both increase the annual price of downtown parking permit and reduce the overall number of permits sold, at the same time that more options (e.g., monthly and quarterly permits) are available When determining the actual permit rate increase value, the City should consider the following factors: Current Subsidized Transit Passes: Currently, employers can subsidize the total cost of a transit pass for their employees through the GoPass and EcoPass programs, part of Caltrain and VTA. To encourage employees, who are a large population of those traveling to Palo Alto each day, to choose public transit, the price of an annual employee permit must be correspond more evenly to the cost of a transit pass. It is recommended that the City implement an incremental increase the Downtown annual garage and lot permits as well as the full-price RPP employee permit, to $800 annually. The $800 figure parallels to the current price of an annual transit pass. Annual Permit Cost vs. On & Off-Street Hourly Parking: The City must ensure that the price of a downtown parking permit is more affordable than commuting to the City and paying daily to park either on-street or off, for the duration of the work day. As such, the permit price must be less expensive than parking eight or nine hours per day, at the posted rate per hour, for an estimated 20 days per month. Based on the paid parking recommendations, on-street parking would cost between $1.50 and $2.50 per hour and off-street would have a daily maximum rate of $24-25 per day. The annual permit cost should calculate to a price below either of those combined totals (on & off-street), on an overall basis. Furthermore, just as it is recommended that the downtown employee parking permits are increased, the City should correlate changes to the RPP employee permit as well, to ensure that there is not an immediate increase in demand throughout the RPP. The City will need to make sure that motorists do not operate under the assumption that cheaper permit parking is available in the RPP. Coordinate in concurrent increase in permits in both the RPP and downtown areas will be important and will help avoid confusion.

29 Comparable Cities Analysis: As part of this study, the comparable cities analysis included the cost of an annual downtown parking permit. Results of the analysis showcased that the cost of Palo Alto s annual employee permit is far below neighboring cities within the region. In several cases, the City s current cost is less than half of other cities of similar size and structure. For example, the City of Berkeley s annual public permit is $1,800; the City of San Mateo s annual employee permit can cost up to $960 per year; and the City of Sausalito s employee permit is priced at $1,044 annually. It is important to remember that parking is often recognized as a commodity. Much like other commodities, the price of parking is derived from the function of the market. Therefore, the pricing of parking is related closely to the supply and demand of available spaces. In many cities parking on-street is not in significant demand. Parking in Palo Alto, on- and off-street is starkly the opposite however. Demand for parking is constant in both arenas. Thus, to manage parking in Palo Alto, including the cost of an employee permit, the price must not only consider the demand for parking but surrounding pricing among other cities. Currently, the cost for an annual employee parking permit in Palo Alto is enticing to many of those who commute Downtown, even for those who travel short distances, provided the $466 annual cost equates to roughly $39 per month, less than $2 a work day. The demand for employee permits far outweighs the supply and therefore steps need to be taken to regulate the permit market in Palo Alto and adjust the cost of permits to be equitable to other permit prices in the region. Reduced-Price Permit: Currently, many downtown employees are circumventing the purchase of an annual permit by continuously moving their vehicles around Downtown each day to avoid the time-limits. In the RPP area, the City offers a reduced-price permit that is based on annual income. Employees qualify if their salary is exactly or less than $50,000; or make a pre-tax hourly wage exactly or less than twice the governing city or state minimum wage. However, even a reduced permit price of $100 annually can be overwhelming to a worker living paycheck to paycheck. Furthermore, low-income workers, often in service industry positions, may find it difficult to afford the purchase price for the annual permit when there may be uncertainty in the security of their job and, therefore, a permit is not worth the $100 cost. It is suggested that the City offer the ability for employees to purchase reduced-price permits on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis for garages and lots as well as RPP. This will provide the employee greater opportunities to purchase a permit at an affordable rate and the approach may increase the likelihood that an employee will elect to purchase a reduced-price permit rather than jockey their car around Downtown each day, in spaces ideally meant for short-term parkers. A less expensive month option is more likely to be bearable than one lump sum of $100. However, it is recommended that they total annual cost of a reduced-price permit be increased incrementally as the full-price permits are increase. The increase in price should not be raised

30 above $200 per year and is recommended that they month-to-month permit option remain in effect as permit price increases. Ideally, promoting alternative modes of transportation and encouraging TMA objectives is the goal, however, an affordable permit option must be available to those in need and providing a monthly purchase opportunity rather than an annual commitment would make the program more viable and practical. The implementation of a comprehensive permit management system will provide the City with better oversight on issued permits and make the issuance of quarterly and/or monthly permits more manageable.

31 III. Parking Guidance and Wayfinding Recommendations: As part of the City s approved capital wayfinding project for 2017, ensure that a public parking brand is incorporated into wayfinding signage with an easily identifiable logo and color palette. Signage should be easy to understand and direct patrons where to park and how to pay. Display real-time off-street occupancy data on digital signage at the main entrances to downtown to allow drivers the ability to determine their parking destination. Real-time parking availability information should be accessible by a parking website and/or a smartphone application. The growth of a city s downtown and central business district is partially reliant on the ability of attracting outside visitors. Whether they are first time visitors to a city or from nearby communities, it is important to ensure they can properly navigate and locate parking when visiting downtown for shopping, dining, or business. An important aspect of enabling drivers to park and arrive at their destination is the way that they are informed about parking. The clear communication of facility locations, space availability, time restrictions and parking rates can help ensure that a city is offering an efficient and understandable parking system. Without properly educating visitors about parking, it can create the perception that a downtown is challenging to navigate and an unfavorable place to visit. With a proposed tiered rate structure, whether initially or in the near future, it will be especially important to upgrade the City s wayfinding to effectively communicate regulations, pricing, and availability. A. Wayfinding In 2015 the City retained Hunt Design for a downtown parking wayfinding study and design in tandem with an Automated Parking Guidance System (APGS) project by Walker Parking Consultants. Hunt Design reviewed existing parking signage and developed a new parking brand and plan for the City. The collaboration between Hunt Design and Walker Parking Consultants helped produce a consistent and integrated approach to wayfinding. Hunt Design created mockup designs for the Architectural Review Board (ARB), stakeholders, and City staff for feedback, and ultimately the ARB unanimously decided to proceed with the blue color scheme detailed below for the best visibility. Designs included direction signs, lot and garage ID banners, pylons and regulatory signage. The blue wayfinding signage designs are pictured in the mockup drawings below.

32 Figure 8: Hunt Design Wayfinding Signage As part of the wayfinding study, Hunt Design also assessed the naming structure of the downtown parking facilities and lots. They recommended an alphanumeric naming system with the lots named numerically from east to west and the garages alphabetically from east to west. Hunt Design also recommended the installation locations for each type of signage throughout the downtown to best guide visitors to available parking In December 2016, City Council approved the capital improvement project for wayfinding and is funded to move forward in 2017 and projected completion in B. Automated Parking Guidance Systems In conjunction with the wayfinding study, Walker Parking Consultants assessed potential Automated Parking Guidance Systems (APGS) for Downtown Palo Alto to provide real-time parking availability and occupancy numbers for the off-street facilities. Three types of APGS were considered: Faculty Count APGS: provides the total count of vehicles in a facility or an Open/Full status using sensors at the entrances and exits. Level and Zone Count APGS: displays the count by garage level using additional sensors. Single Space Detection APGS: tracks the occupancy of each space using mounted sensors and LED lights. After evaluating the various options, Walker Parking Consultants recommended the Single Space Detection APGS to Palo Alto for Garages CC, CW, R, and S. While this system has the highest overall cost, it provides the most flexibility and accuracy. Various colors of mounted LED lights can indicate space types such as available, occupied, handicapped, permit, public, valet, etc. The colors can be changed manually or automatically when necessary to ensure that the parking facilities are being utilized to their maximum potential. The management system can be locally or cloud-hosted, and signage would be connected to the City s downtown fiber network.

33 Real-time and highly accurate (up to 99%) occupancy data will be available from this system to display on parking guidance wayfinding signage throughout downtown. The occupancy data can also be displayed on the City s websites and phone applications. As the City moves forward with the recently approved and funded project, the City should ensure that the APGS indicates the number of available spaces at the entrance of the facilities, and the overall solution should be coupled with digital wayfinding signage throughout Downtown. Additionally, the APGS space availability data should be integrated with the City s website and/or a parking application. C. Current Wayfinding The following outlines the Study s observations as it relates to the current wayfinding downtown. DIXON s observations are directly related to the City s initiative with Hunt Design and Walker. The current wayfinding includes signage at the entrances of lots and garages, banners in the parking lots, and green direction signage at intersections. Additionally, the on-street signage conveys the color zone parking rules. Currently there is no consistent City parking/mobility branding used throughout Downtown. Images 1 thru 3: Palo Alto wayfinding signage for off-street surface lot locations. The signage at the garage/lot entrances indicates whether there are time limit spaces, permit spaces, or both, however, there is not a significant signage distinction to identify a public versus private parking garage/lots. Images 4 5: Palo Alto signage for off-street public garages; often difficult to determine public vs. private parking or both

34 Another issue identified was the lack of clarity regarding the daily permit parking information. The signage in the garages did not adequately direct patrons to the kiosks and it did not clearly indicate whether daily permit holders should park in the public parking or the designated permit parking spaces. Currently the City does not utilize occupancy sensors or parking guidance systems. There are no digital counters or displays indicating whether a facility is full. During high occupancy periods, this can worsen congestion due to people entering facilities and circling for a space when the facility may already be near capacity or completely full. The following sections describe the various automated technology options that may be used to improve program efficiency and the overall parking experience. Images 6: S/L Bryant/Lytton garage entrance. The facility is not conducive for how to pay to park D. Parking Guidance Systems Vehicle counting systems coupled with automated wayfinding systems are helping to revolutionize how the masses park today. These systems, along with their integration to everyday phone and mapping applications, have provided motorists with the ability to plan their parking before leaving their home. The ability to do so can enable motorists to make more informed decisions about how to get to their destination, evaluate alternative modes of transit, and, if they choose to drive, reduce traffic congestion by letting drivers know where they will park. Automated Parking Guidance System (APGS) signs can promote parking availability and mitigate congestion around and within parking facilities. To improve the Palo Alto parking experience, the City must have an accurate tool to count vehicle entries to provide accurate parking availability that can be integrated with an APGS sign and available parking applications. The dynamic signage allows the City to redirect patrons toward alternative, underutilized parking locations. The APGS/wayfinding signage should indicate parking lot status (open/closed), space availability (Full/Available or the number of spaces available), event parking details (as applicable), alternative parking areas, and targeted messaging. This methodology would allow many patrons to prepare their direction of travel upon approach thereby possibly reducing the traffic flow impact, discouraging backups, and addressing maximum capacity concerns. DIXON often refers to the concept of First mile, last mile, the security of one knowing before leaving their origin, where he or she will be parking at their destination and when reaching the last mile, the ability to rely on wayfinding to guide him or her to their arrival location. Another benefit to the wayfinding signage and the real-time parking information is parking availability and the ability to be linked to a variety of publicly available, free parking applications. This information can be monitored both remotely and on site by parking operations personnel to anticipate traffic flow impacts and capacity levels, especially for special event management. If the City adjusts pricing or

35 implements demand-based rates, this information can be promoted using these online tools and equipment. DIXON recommends that this information be distributed for public access via an application programming interface (API) in addition to transmitting the data to additional APGS signs placed at the primary entrances to the downtown, especially at major arterial roads. This recommendation is consistent with the City s current CIPs for an APGS system and downtown wayfinding campaign. If the City prefers to develop a basic integrated independent mobile application (provided by the APGS system provider). The overall cost of the mobile application development does vary depending on the type of information to be displayed, any specific branding / graphics requirements, and additional features such as find my car, directions, 511 traffic information, parking reservations, or 3 rd party integrations. While the City may potentially invest in an interactive City-developed website or application, for which the cost can be significant based upon your overall web design, there are several existing, free parking availability/guidance applications, like ParkMe and Parkopedia, that leverage available public parking information using their interactive parking application. A useful example of clear directional wayfinding that has been successfully implemented is in the City of San Jose, displayed in Image 7: San Jose on-street district wayfinding signage Image 7. Though the City put less emphasis on branding or a specific theme, it has unmistakably highlighted parking, the direction in which this parking is located, and the available parking spaces at each location. In addition, positioning of the signage is equally as important. Motorists entering the downtown district off the major interstate highway are met with this sign immediately, providing motorists a knowledge of where available parking opportunities are located before entering the downtown district. A critical component of any technology installation, especially an APGS solution, is maintenance and upkeep. If an APGS is installed, it is recommended that a responsible party (i.e., subcontractor) be designated and held accountable for the system upkeep. If this support is to be a subcontracted service, performance standards should be defined and incorporated into the vendor service agreement with performance penalties for system support failures. Wayfinding is an integral part of any parking operation. Patrons need to be informed of facility locations, space availability, time restrictions, and parking rates. Navigation from place to place within a parking facility is often overlooked and undervalued. Knowing where one is in a facility, where there are available spaces and knowing how to navigate to those spaces is one of the most fundamental aspects of a successful parking program. The addition of wayfinding signage may significantly improve the ability of a patron to enter, leave and return to a facility.

36 E. Digital Wayfinding Parking should be easy. As many trips begin and end with parking, providing patrons with the direction and information on best parking options is imperative in any successful parking program. Providing accurate information on parking destination and availability can significantly impact a patron s experience when visiting an event or Downtown area. Static wayfinding offers an opportunity to lead patrons in the direction of available parking while also being aesthetically pleasing to the Downtown Image 8: Overhead space indicators area. However, digital wayfinding has truly taken parking guidance to a new level with the ability to display real-time parking space occupancy data while directing patrons to available spots in the City s parking garage. The City has already approved the installation of overhead space indicators (sensors) for the garage facilities. The space indicators will provide color notification to identify real-time parking space availability (Image 8). The City has an opportunity to manage the business rules for parking spaces throughout the day however, this will require on site oversight to maximize the opportunity to adjust parking space regulations, i.e. increasing/decreasing the number of Permit Only spaces based upon demand will provide a convenience that was not easily managed previously. Space indicators provide in-depth data with the ability to show parking occupancy by level and by row within each level. The solution that will be implemented by the City will allow for a true comprehensive guidance system throughout the entire facility (Image 9 right). This type of system will not only mitigate congestion at the entrance of the garage but also throughout each level and row. Image 9: Wayfinding signage - Space Counts The City should consider including a digital wayfinding option with the space indicator implementation that provides patrons a breakdown, by level, of parking availability (Image 10 left). The occupancy count accuracy of this solution is typically about 95% based on the speed of vehicles entering and exiting and the space between each vehicle. This solution is best suited for garages that allow travel up and down on the outside of the actual parking spaces as opposed to having to drive through every spot on every level to travel up and down. Image 10: Level-by-level space count The simplest and most cost-efficient method to provide real-time occupancy is to show one aggregate count for available spaces throughout the entire garage (Image 11 top of next page). Once the real-time occupancy data is collected, transmitting it to digital wayfinding signage located throughout the garage, the surrounding City

37 and/or a website/application is relatively simple. Most vendors that provide the counting hardware described above will be able to provide both additional digital signage and an API that will allow the data to be used in websites and applications. In addition to basic signage that comes with the pricing breakdowns above, supplementary signage can typically be purchased. The pricing on this signage depends on the sign and the application for it, hence the significant price range. For signage placed in areas outside the garage, there are potential costs associated with transmitting information to the digital display signs. In most cases, wireless transmissions are possible for a small monthly data fee or signs can be hardwired direct and the costs will vary significantly depending on the distance of the fiber line to the sign. Image 11: Wayfinding signage Digital Counts It is important to note that DIXON s paid parking section recommends the City implement PARCS systems (gated access) in the Downtown garage facilities. PARCS systems will help to improve counts at each facility and accurately distribute this information to the public.

38 IV. Enforcement Recommendations: Implement vehicle mounted license plate recognition (LPR) units to improve efficiency. Expand parking enforcement staffing coverage to include evening and weekend coverage (if feasible). Evaluate existing enforcement handhelds to ensure real-time integration capabilities with selected parking meters and mobile payment vendor. Whether the City proceeds with a paid parking solution or considers installing a parking access control system at the garage entrances, these are decisions that will impact the enforcement of the downtown parking policies. The color zones are currently monitored by Police Department Community Service Officers (CSOs) utilizing enforcement handhelds to manually track each vehicle license plates throughout their assigned color zone. Typically, a CSO can input between 750 to 1,000 license plate per shift. This is a time-consuming effort that requires a substantial time commitment to enforce the daily time limit requirements of the existing color zone policies. In addition to the color zone time limits, the CSOS also monitor permit compliance in the surface lots and parking garages. If the City elects to maintain the current color zone time limit policies, vehicle mounted license plate recognition (LPR) technology should be implemented to more efficiently maximize personnel resources and to ensure consistent enforcement of the time limit and permit management policies. In addition, if there are no changes to the existing color zone policies, with the implementation of at least two (2) LPR vehicle mounted units, the CSOs will no longer be required to manually track license plates and the City should consider redeploying the CSO schedule and extending enforcement coverage to include weekday evening hours and weekend coverage to ensure compliance with general parking policies, including red curb and double-parking violations. With the implementation of at least two (2) LPR units, there should be an opportunity to redeploy rather than expand staff. This will require ongoing assessment to ensure adequate and consistent coverage of the downtown parking policies. LPR increases efficiency in several ways, including the automation of vehicle location and time occupied monitoring to enforce the color zone time limits that are currently being tracked manually. Furthermore, LPR technology provides an ability to validate parking permit status when permits are attached to license plates. Again, if the City elects not to make any changes to the current color zone policies or to the management of the off-street locations, the vehicle mounted LPR units can efficiently patrol the garage and surface lot locations to verify that the permit registered license plate is valid. Rather than physically verifying permit status using the enforcement handheld, the CSOs will be enabled to swiftly monitor the permit parking areas. The LPR technology would be integrated with the City s parking permit management system and real-time updates can be received to ensure the most accurate and up-to-date database. The LPR system also provides the opportunity for CSOs to more efficiently manage the City s scofflaw records and vehicles with five (5) or more unpaid delinquent parking citations.

39 LPR cameras can be mounted to a CSO vehicle or attached to a stationary structure such as a toll booth or entry gate (described in more detail in the Garage Recommendations Section). In recent years, however, LPR has grown into the parking industry to help cities with their enforcement, permit management and scofflaw mitigation. Many cities have successfully supplemented their enforcement resources with the implementation of LPR technology. As an enforcement device, LPR cameras are attached to enforcement vehicles that patrol both streets and off street parking locations and can be used to manage parking violations, occupancy limits, scofflaw capture and paid parking payment status. LPR vendors provide specialized technology for parking enforcement purposes and have developed the software to integrate with the variety of citation, permit management and technology hardware vendors which will provide the City with a comprehensive program customized specifically for Palo Alto. The LPR solution includes visual evidence of an infraction when it occurs and further when a citation is issued. This is invaluable for adjudication purposes. For time limit management, many of the LPR vendors offer a digital chalking feature that uses software technology to track the location of a vehicle, how long the vehicle was Image 12: Example of mobile-lpr parking enforcement parked at a specific location or within a designated zone/area and simultaneously compares that to the time limit posted in that area. Digital chalking has helped several cities provide a more accountable and consistent approach to time limit management without having to invest in additional labor and provides an additional level of visual evidence that tends to reduce adjudication efforts. As automated license plate recognition (ALPR) systems become more prevalent across the country and in the State of California, Agencies must take the proper steps in accordance with federal and state laws. Existing law currently authorizes law enforcement agencies and departments to use LPR for the purpose of locating vehicles or persons reasonably suspected of being involved in the commission of a public offense. Senate Bill 34, Section , effective January 1, 2016 imposes specific requirements on an ALPR operator as defined to protect ALPR information and implementing a usage privacy policy with respect to that information, as specified. Among several requirements and propositions incorporated in Senate Bill 34, a specific requirement is found in Section / , and states that an APLR end-user shall do the following: (b) (1) Implement a usage and privacy policy in order to ensure that the access, use, sharing, and dissemination of ALPR information is consistent with respect for individuals privacy and civil liberties. The usage and privacy policy shall be available to the public in writing, and, if the ALPR end-user has an Internet Web site, the usage and privacy policy shall be posted conspicuously on that Internet Web site. Therefore, DIXON recommends the City of Palo Alto and with its potential implementation of LPR in the future, refer to the City s use of ALPR on the City s web site. DIXON recommends that Palo Alto provide a statement informing the public of the usage and privacy policy surrounding its use of the system.

40 Per Senate Bill 34, the City s posting of information to the public on the City s web site must be completed as follows: (B) Conspicuous posting, for a minimum of 30 days, of the notice on the agency s Internet Web site page, if the agency maintains one. For purposes of this subparagraph, conspicuous posting on the agency s Internet Web site means providing a link to the notice on the home page or first significant page after entering the Internet Web site that is in larger type than the surrounding text, or in contrasting type, font, or color to the surrounding text of the same size, or set off from the surrounding text of the same size by symbols or other marks that call attention to the link. The approximate cost to support the installation of LPR equipment on an existing vehicle is approximately $50,000-$60,000 including the training and infrastructure needed. This will include the installation of the cameras on the outside of the vehicle, the processing unit in the trunk along with the in-vehicle PC and navigator set up in the front seat. It is recommended that the City of Palo Alto implement a vehicle mounted LPR solution regardless of the other recommendations considered. The technology will directly benefit the downtown area and provide the CSOs with a resource tool to become more efficient and consistent in the management of downtown parking policies. If the City proceeds with a paid parking solution, the existing enforcement handhelds need to be evaluated to ensure the integration capabilities with the implementation of the various parking technologies. If the City opts to install parking meter technology, the decision to proceed with a Pay-by-Plate or Pay-by-Space approach will be relevant to the enforcement handheld equipment (See Paid Parking Recommendations Section for more detail). A real-time interface with the parking technology provider and the CSO enforcement handheld will ensure that the CSO receive the most current vehicle payment status. The same integration requirement will be necessary for a mobile payment vendor, especially if the City elected to proceed with a Pay & Display solution. Real-time integration requirements must be clearly defined in any vendor solicitation for citation, permit or paid parking technology support to provide the CSO with the accurate status of a parking space in Palo Alto. Integration requirements and the cost of any software development should be the burden of the parking technology vendors. Data integration must be addressed during the solicitation and contracting stage with each vendor and the City should have a standard application programming interface (API) requirement that is included with any parking solicitation. Integration with Image 13: Example smartphone handheld enforcement device the enforcement handheld is imperative to maximize the efficiency of the CSOs and minimize the burden of equipment that they are required to carry. Regardless of the downtown parking policy decisions and outcomes, the combination of vehicle mounted LPR technology and integrated enforcement handhelds will provide the CSO staff the tools necessary to

41 effectively manage and monitor the downtown parking policies without changes to the existing staffing resources.

42 V. Centralization of Palo Alto Parking Related Operations Recommendations: The City should create a Parking Department/Division to provide full-time management of the parking operation including oversight of any outsourced services and vendor technology agreements. Through work with different with different municipalities and agencies, DIXON has found that parking operations can become a convoluted task. Often overlooked, many fail to realize the number of duties and responsibilities that are associated with parking, even if only loosely. These responsibilities are further increased when an agency has paid parking operations. Often, a municipality s departments that have some form of a parking related role include transit, finance, police department, public works, planning, and even community and economic development. Thus, there are several hands involved and the clarity of those roles and responsibilities from one department to the next may become blurred or lost. It was difficult to obtain documents and information from staff related to the current Palo Alto parking operation. Through those requests and coordination with City staff, it has become apparent that there is a lack of internal structure within the City when it comes to parking. Currently there are multiple departments handling support services related to parking. Outlined below are the current parking tasks and the department responsible within the City. Parking Task Citation Hearings Construction (Garage/Lots) Daily Permit Sales (Pay Stations) Daily Permit Sales (City Hall) Employee/Employer Permits (Garages/Lots) Enforcement RPP Enforcement (Garages, Lots, Color Zones) Maintenance (Garages/Lots) Planning Residential Parking Permit Program (RPP) Revenues Revenues Employee/Employer Permits (Downtown) Valet Permitting (Garage/Lots) Valet Program (Garage/Lots) Website Police Public Works Department Responsible Planning & Community Development Administrative Services Administrative Services Planning & Community Environment/Downtown Parking Assessment District/Administrative Services Police Public Works Planning & Community Development Planning & Community Development Administrative Services Finance Police Planning & Community Environment (via subcontractor SP Plus) Planning & Community Environment (SP+) Based on current internal organization of tasks related to parking there are too many departments involved without a reliable source of collaboration to ensure all roles and responsibilities are being fulfilled to the best ability. Many of the recommendations set forth in this report will require significant coordination by multiple city resources. Therefore, the City should create an internal parking department

43 that will act as the direct point of contact for all parking related issues. Many cities have a parking department that provides turnkey support for much of the support services outlines in the table above. In other cities, one primary contact may serve as the oversight of the various departments handling parking related responsibilities and management of parking related issues. The City should move the parking operation responsibilities under the umbrella of a centralized parking department. These operations include enforcement and management of both Downtown Palo Alto as well as the RPP district; the downtown parking assessment permits for employees; and RPP permits for both residents and employees. In addition, with the potential of paid parking, the parking department would manage all aspects of the parking technology required to support the operation, including, but not limited to, parking hardware management, maintenance, as well as revenue collection and reconciliation. The proposed department should be considered an extension of the City s Parking and Transportation Committee to assist in the facilitation of coordinated policy-making and implementation across the entire parking and transportation system. The following is the proposed organizational structure based on the current and potential services:

44 *Solid blue line indicates direct and central report structure

45 A. Proposed Figure 9 on the previous page outlines a proposed organizational structure for the City s centralization of parking roles and responsibilities as part of the newly created Central Parking Department. The outline of the structure incorporates current departments and their responsibilities as well as created tasks that may result from the implementation of paid parking technology and other parking technology infrastructure. As it is proposed, the Parking Department would be headed by a Parking Manager. The Parking Manager would oversee four Supervisors in parking related roles including On-Street, Off-Street, Enforcement and Permit Management services. Current departments that are tasked with parking related roles today such as Public Works, Police and Administrative Services would continue to operate indirectly with the Parking Department via the Parking Manager or a Supervisor. In the case of Police and Administrative Services a line of communication would be established with both the Parking Manager and an operations related Supervisor. A. Outsourcing of Parking Operations Based on DIXON s review of the City s current parking related operations and feedback through working with City staff, outsourcing of parking operations is a viable alternative in the event a centralized parking department is unable to be organized. The outsourcing of parking operations is a support service that has been implemented by several agencies throughout California. It is important to know that regardless of the degree the parking operation is contracted to a private vendor, the municipality always maintains oversight. As previously mentioned, with the recommendation implementation of paid parking, the added services that will required will further the current parking responsibilities of the City. These added services include ongoing upkeep and preventative maintenance of parking equipment, weekly parking meter collections, and the revenue reconciliation process. Many cities, like Palo Alto, contract private parking operators to support their parking operations. Palo Alto is already engaging two of these vendors in the support of permit management software, garage valet services and RPP supplement enforcement services. Parking facility operations is commonly outsourced by municipalities; however, many cities have also allocated parking maintenance services and revenue reconciliation to private operators. For example, Newport Beach selected a private vendor to not only collect meter revenue, but also contracts the vendor to provide maintenance support, including preventative maintenance services. San Francisco and Los Angeles contract operators to support their parking meter revenue operations. Accounting for these added daily operations and responsibilities is import for Palo Alto to understand as it makes these changes. There are many examples of cities with successful parking programs that have either chose to manage parking internally or have had success outsourcing parking operations. The City of Sausalito has had success with a hybrid approach, outsourcing revenue collection and maintenance while handling permits and other daily administrative operations internally. However, for Palo Alto, the current state of parking operations needs to be altered. Today, parking functions spread across several departments. Thus, implementing parking related changes or improvements is less effective.

46 The common operations that are typically outsourced by municipalities include collections and Level 1 Maintenance of parking meters and pay stations, revenue reconciliation, and enforcement. Each of these operations are fulfilled by the City s current third-party vendors as well as additional vendors.

47 VI. Alternative Strategies Recommendations: Identify remote parking supply and solicit shared parking agreements to reduce the parking demand in the Downtown core. Implement a Downtown Employee Mobility Program to encourage mode shift and reduce SOV trips in synch with the TMA s objectives. While the various parking program recommendations throughout this report will help improve program efficiency and overall parking experience, ultimately the City should take a sustainable approach to managing Downtown parking and mobility. As the City evolves, Palo Alto will continue to face increase pressure to utilize space more efficiently, especially as available development space becomes even more valuable than today. The City s parking resources should be managed to preserve the walkability of Downtown, and alternative modes of transportation should be encouraged to reduce single-occupancy vehicle (SOV) trips and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A. Secure Existing Parking Supply Securing the existing parking supply can help reduce parking demand in the Downtown core, especially during peak periods of the day. The City should utilize any additional remote parking supply during the short-term. More remote parking coupled with the addition of paid parking Downtown can be an opportunity to provide a cheaper alternative for those willing to park further outside of the core. This may assist in reducing Downtown congestion and alleviate some parking demand. There are three main areas the City may look to for existing parking supply opportunities: city-owned parking locations outside of the downtown core, lots such as high-school parking lots, and private parking facilities and lots for shared-parking agreements. Underutilized lots throughout Palo Alto can be opportunities for acquiring additional existing parking supply for Downtown employees or visitors. This tactic is useful for providing remote parking locations to improve public transit and bike access to Downtown without having to invest in expanding parking supply. Shared parking agreements with property owners are required when securing privately owned parking locations for public use. Private parking lots, which are only used during certain hours of the day, can be a parking opportunity for the downtown area. Shared parking negotiations are often the most successful with cost/revenue sharing, insurance, enforcement and/or infrastructure improvement agreements. It is important to consider the following when developing shared parking agreements: Term length: providing return on investment Facility Use: user base and flexibility; number of available spaces Educating the community on alternative transit needs to continue to be a priority for Palo Alto