Downtown Parking Management System

Transcription

1 TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH RECORD Downtown Parking Managmnt Systm R. G. THOMPSON AND E. C. COLLINS Th planning and managmnt of parking failitis within downtown aras ar among th most hallnging tasks faing transport plannrs. Information rlating to a wid rang of omponnts in a ity's transport and land us systms must b prossd, analyzd, and fftivly ommuniatd to poliy makrs and onrnd groups. Ths tasks ar not asily prformd by traditional mthods baus of th spatial natur of th data, th larg amount of data rquird, and th larg numbr of intrations involvd. A miroomputr-basd parking managmnt systm was dvlopd to assist th planning of publi ar parks within a downtown ara. Th two major omponnts of th systm ar a parking survy analysis pakag (PARKSTAT) and a graphial data bas (P ARKINFO). P ARKST AT allows data olltd from parking survys to b prossd and analyzd. Numrous plots and tabls spifially dsignd to highlight important oprational faturs of ar parks an b produd. P ARKINFO allows data rlating to th parking stok to b managd within a graphial nvironmnt. It also allows information of rlatd systms, inluding traffi and land us, to b intgratd. Th main faturs of ths pakags ar illustratd using a systm that is basd on th Wollongong downtown ara. Ths tools hav bn usd in valuating dvlopmnt proposals as wll as for dvloping parking ontribution plans for ommrial ntrs in th rgion. Both pakags hav providd information for parking oprators, transport analysts, and poliy makrs and hav assistd in th dvlopmnt and rviw of parking stratgis. Th planning and managmnt of downtown ar parks ar major rsponsibilitis of transport plannrs. Ths rols prsnt substantial hallngs for analysts, partiularly in prossing, analyzing, and ommuniating information to poliy makrs and intrstd groups. Information rlating to th opration and utilization of ar parking failitis in downtown aras is ritial for poliy formulation and valuation. Knowldg of th usag haratristis of ar parks is also ruial for thir ffiint managmnt. Car parks ar an important omponnt of th transport systm and an b onsidrd valuabl assts. Thrfor, monitoring thir usag is ssntial to nsur that xisting parking, land us, and traffi poliis mt thir objtivs. Th nd to ffiintly manag th parking stok is vn mor important if downtown aras ar to b fftivly rvitalizd. Howvr, many parking managmnt tasks ar not asily prformd by traditional manual mthods baus of th spatial natur of th data and th larg numbr of intrations involvd. Baus th attributs of th parking and rlatd systms ar onstantly hanging, past survys and studis quikly bom out of dat. Many xisting produrs for prossing, analyzing, and prsnting ths data ar slow, ostly, and inaurat. Thy also ar not gnrally intgratd and th quality of prsntation is poor. Traffi nginrs and plannrs rquir a larg amount of information to adquatly plan, manag, and oprat parking systms R. G. Thompson, Dpartmnt of Civil and Environmntal Enginring, Th Univrsity of Mlbourn, Mlbourn, Parkvill, Vitoria 3052 Australia. E. C. Collins, Environmntal Enginring Division, Wollongong City Counil, Nw South Wals, Australia. in downtown aras. Rnt dvlopmnts in miroprossor thnology hav substantially inrasd both th quantity and quality of th data that an b olltd (1). Howvr, without th aompanying dvlopmnt of information dlivry systms, transport plannrs an asily bom swampd with data. Thr is urrntly a gap btwn th thnology availabl to ollt parking data and th assoiatd information prossing softwar rquird to pross, analyz, and prsnt it. Traffi nginring, inluding parking, is urrntly xprining a data xplosion (2,3), in whi~h normous amounts of dati{ar bing olltd using ltroni quipmnt. Nw advand parking thnology (.g., automati tikting mahins and traffi dttors) allows an normous amount of parking-rlatd data to b asily olltd. Howvr, many of ths data ar not bing adquatly prossd or transformd into usful information; thrfor a larg proportion of xisting data ar lft unprossd or poorly prsntd, rsulting in th xtration of littl, if any, knowldg. Nw thnology an signifiantly spd up analysis tim and translat data into information by making th data mor undrstandabl, assibl, and prsntabl to dision makrs ( 4). Th rol of omputr graphis in dlivring information to dision makrs is boming vitally important. Svral miroomputr parking information systms hav bn dvlopd rntly (5,6). PARK.STAT PARKSTAT is an intrativ parking survy analysis pakag dvlopd using th Think Pasal programming languag (7) for th Appl Maintosh sris of miroomputrs (8). It maks xtnsiv us of businss graphis as wll as xploratory data analysis thniqus to highlight important usag pattrns at ar parks. Svral faturs of this pakag ar prsntd hr using data olltd from a modrat (580 stalls) ar park in th Wollongong downtown ara. Parking Utilization Analysis A rang of numrial indiators ar produd by P ARKST AT to provid a dsription of th ovrall oprations of individual parking failitis. Ths statistis inlud th avrag utilization, pak aumulation, spa hours of us, and turnovr. Utilization profils displaying th tmporal variation of aumulation lvls (dmand) throughout th day (Figur 1) an also b produd. Th vrtial axs ar usd to xprss th utilization and ntry and xit flows in trms of th numbr of vhils as wll as a prntag of apaity. Parking Duration Analysis PARKSTAT alulats parking durations by mathing arrival and dpartur obsrvations of individual vhils. Numrous analysis

2 64 TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH RECORD 1459 CROWN CENTRAL Wdnsday 20/5/92 v 600 x h a p u s t 0 0 y Tim of Day - Aumulation Arrivals a Dparturs FIGURE 1 PARKSTAT utilization profil. thniqus ar availabl for invstigating th haratristis of ths distributions, inluding summary statistis, umulativ frquny plots, and histograms. PARKST AT also allows th prodution of multipl box plots of parking durations (9). Parking durations ar groupd aording to thir hour of arrival to highlight th tmporal variation throughout th survy priod (10). Th width of th boxs indiats th numbr of vhils arriving within th arrival hour, with a wid box indiating a larg numbr of arrivals. Figur 2 shows that thr wr only a small numbr of arrivals bfor 9:00 a.m. and a larg numbr of arrivals btwn 10:00 a.m. and noon. Th daying rangs and mdians aftr 10:00 a.m. ar also vidnt. Th long-trm parking durations ar most prvalnt in th hours bginning 8:00 and 9:00 a.m. This graph also highlights th skwd natur of th distributions as wll as svral outlirs. PARKINFO PARK.INFO is a graphial data bas dsignd to manag ar parks in downtown aras. It has bn xpandd to inorporat data from a numbr of rlatd aras inluding th traffi, land us, and publi transport systms. Th dvlopmnt of th systm involvd a pross that inorporatd numrous omponnts and linkags (Figur 3). Initially, th data itms to b inludd in th systm wr idntifid. Ths data wr thn olltd and ollatd. Bfor thy wr rordd into th systm th data had to b odd and ditd. A larg numbr of omponnts had to b dsignd bfor any data ould b transfrrd into D 600 u r 480 a "t n s 120 (Min) 0 FIGURE CROWN CENTRAL 20/5/ ARRIVAL HOUR BEGINNING Multipl box plot of parking durations. th systm. Aftr th data had bn input, an valuation of th prforman of th systm rvald th nd to ollt mor data and rdsign svral lmnts. Th aims of this information systm wr dtrmind by idntifying th rquirmnts of th ity ounil. Th ounil's primary nd was for a systm to manag a larg numbr of parking-rlatd data (.g., invntory and utilization survy rsults). Thr was also a nd to produ a systm that ould prsnt ths data and allow thm to b updatd on an ongoing basis. Two typs of data ar inorporatd into this systm: data nssary for implmnting traffi and parking modls (11) and additional itms to nhan its usfulnss as a gnral transport planning tool. Dsigning PARK.INFO involvd spifying th typs (data bass) as wll as thir assoiatd attributs (filds). Eah visual itm blongs to a typ that has an individual fil strutur with spifid filds. Numrous typs or data bass must b dfind to rat an intgratd visual nvironmnt. Ths inlud sit (land us parls), garag (off-strt parking stations), lot (off-strt ar parks), onstrt (on-strt ar parks), link (traffi), intrstion (nods), bus stop, bus trminal, railway station, and movmnt (traffi turning movmnts). Graphial imags, rports, and srn layouts wr dsignd, inluding spifi symbols for intrstions and parking failitis as wll as turning movmnts. Clar and attrativ srn layouts wr also ratd. This involvd dfining ions, lin styls, buttons, and ntwork drawings. Standard olors, shads, and orintations of shaps onsistnt with data typs wr dtrmind. Txtual rports whih inludd parking invntoris and land us summaris, wr also dvlopd. WOLLONGONG CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT SYSTEM PARK.INFO was usd in th Wollongong ntral businss distrit (CBD) traffi and parking study ondutd by th loal ounil to allow th gnration of numrous maps and rports. It providd information to assist in th planning and rviwing of parking and traffi oprations togthr with thir rlationship with land us. It also provids an ongoing tool that an b usd to monitor th downtown transport systm and undrtak parking poliy analysis. Th Wollongong CBD parking information systm was dvlopd using th FILEVISION softwar pakag (12) on an Appl Maintosh Ili, miroomputr. Numrous data itms rlating to th haratristis of ar parks ar stord for ah ar park (Figur 4). Ths inlud th physial haratristis (.g., apaity), managmnt poliis (.g., duration limits, rstritd tims, dirt f rats), and prforman masurs (.g., avrag utilization and turnovr). Svral graphial imags assoiatd with ah ar park wr also onstrutd, inluding a lot's gomtri layout, daily profil utilization (Figur 5), and a duration histogram. Ths ar usd to stor th rsults of analysis undrtakn using P ARKST AT. Data rlating to a spifi ar park an b assd by doubl liking th mous on its imag. This fatur provids a onvnint mdium for managing a varity of rlvant txtual and graphial data for ah faility. Data wr similarly stord for road links, intrstions, and land us sits. Txt and numri data filds assoiatd with objts an b usd to sarh and highlight th graphial map-basd imags (rords) mting spifid ritria. This allows rporting of omplx quris

3 Thompson and Collins 65 Nds Assssmnt Data Colltion Databas Dsign., I Systm Evaluation Appliation FIGURE 3 PARKINFO dvlopmnt pross. in graphial form. This partiular xampl involvs idntifying parking lots within th CBD that hav a apaity of mor than 50 stalls and an avrag utilization lvl of lss than 50 prnt. Car parks satisfying ths ritria ar highlightd as a rsult of suh a qury (Figur 6). Additional sarhs an b undrtakn to highlight rlatd objts that in turn an b shadd to rat thmati maps with lgnds that indiat th haratristis of objts. Figur 7 shows a map of th loation of publi on-strt ar parks; th shading indiats thir duration limits. Prdfind txtual rports an also b produd in a mannr similar to that for traditional data bas managmnt systms. Numrous data also hav bn stord for traffi links and turning movmnts, allowing th managmnt of a wid rang of traffi data. Important data rlating to th traffi gnration haratristis of land us sits hav also bn inorporatd, inluding th numbr of mploys and ara of floor spa. Dtails rlating to th publi transport srvis, inluding trminals, timtabls, and routs also hav bn inludd. This systm has bn xpandd to inorporat othr major businss ntrs within th rgion. Ths ntrs ar linkd, providing an intgratd systm for managing and prsnting parking-rlatd information throughout th rgion. APPLICATIONS BY WOLLONGONG CITY COUNCIL FIGURE 4 Numrial attributs of garags. v ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ h I 240 FIGURE 5 Utilization profil of a lot. PARK.INFO and PARKSTAT hav bn usd xtnsivly by Wollongong City Counil's traffi stion and hav bn found to b ssntial parking managmnt and planning tools. Th traffi stion of Wollongong City Counil has rntly bn rquird to undrtak dtaild parking studis as a dirt onsqun of amndmnt to Stion 94 of th Nw South Wals Environmntal Planning and Assssmnt At, This stion of th at givs loal govrnmnts th powr to impos onditions on a dvlopmnt so that surrounding publi infrastrutur is providd and xisting infrastrutur apaity and prforman ar not advrsly afftd. Most govrnmnt authoritis hav numrous poliis with whih various typs of dvlopmnt must omply. Undr rtain irumstans whr a dvlopmnt is onsidrd dsirabl or appropriat and som or all of th rquird infrastrutur annot b providd, th loal authority has th powr undr Stion 94 to harg a lvy on th dvlopmnt for a montary ontribution toward th futur provision, by th authority, of thos failitis. Ths failitis may inlud opn spa, publi roads, or parking garags or lots. Th rnt amndmnts to Stion 94 of th at now rquir a loal govrnmnt authority to hav a publily adoptd plan or stratgy in pla for ah typ of publi infrastrutur for whih a Stion 94 lvy is sought. Wollongong City Counil was fortunat baus som 12 months bforhand xtnsiv invntory survys of downtown parking wr don as part of th dvlopmnt of th PARK.INFO data bas. Tim onstraints and th inorporation of a downtown omputr traffi and parking modl nssitatd th following approah for th dvlopmnt of th Stion 94 parking plan. Th study inludd downtown Wollongong (rfrrd to as th CBD) as wll as som ight suburban ommrial ntrs of signifian. Numrous ations wr idntifid and applid to various parts of th ity, dpnding on th loality, xisting publi availability, and lvls of utilization (Figur 8).

4 66 TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH RECORD 1459 r.., s Fil Edit Typs Rss Options THt Symbols Shads CBD - Rtuol Siz., FIGURE 6 Larg and undrutilizd lots highlightd. Th Stion 94 parking study was thrfor plannd to b undrtakn in two stags: Stag 1, whih involvd (a) invntory of all parking (on strt and off strt), (b) stablishmnt of prints and sltion of loations, () dvlopmnt of poliis and ations, (d) parking survys and analysis, () data bas dsign and modifiations, and (f) doumntation and adoption of Stion 94 plans; and Stag 2, whih involvd stratgi planning of infrastrutur using advand land us, parking, and traffi modling thniqus to valuat various futur planning snarios. Both th P ARKST AT and P ARKINFO softwar pakags wr usd xtnsivly during Stag 1 of th study. Signifiant amounts Mdium/High Low '".., S Fii Edit Typs Ass Options THt Symbols Shads I TIIPIEI D..IEIHllD) Ys Ys PARKING.. GARAGE - LOT - ON STREET ::x::::x::j!i 12 Hour 2 Hour ~ 1 Hour i;;zmz:s;zi 1/2 Hour Low ~ Motor yl pirking t Tixf rink ~ Dlsibld pirk1ng Crat Additional 2 hr parking All Car Parking to b providd on sit Rimburs/Embllish xisting ar park FIGURE 7 Car park duration limits. FIGURE 8 Stion 94 parking ontributions plan ation flowhart for ommrial ntrs.

5 Thompson and Collins 67 of data wr olltd, prossd, and input into th rlvant data bass within th P ARKINFO systm. On-strt parking was survyd hourly and data wr input into th PARKST AT softwar to provid stimats of utilization and pak oupany. P ARKINFO map prsntation failitis wr thn utilizd to prsnt output showing thos aras whr, for xampl, pak oupany was lss than 50 prnt. On-strt parking lots with pak oupanis of 50 prnt or gratr wr also highlightd and prsntd in map form. Visual xamination of th map output rvald gnral aras of ithr low or mdium-to-high parking usag, allowing th prdtrmind poliy ations to b applid. Th plan for ar parking ontributions in Wollongong is antiipatd to b a dynami doumnt. As nw dvlopmnts our, furthr parking will b undrtakn with ths statistis also stord in PARKINFO and ompard with thos prviously survyd: Th ontribution plan an thn b amndd as nssary. As omputr modling is about to ommn, th parking data hld within P ARKINFO will b alld on in th modl validation pross. Furthrmor, output from omputr modling an also b stord in PARKINFO and rtrivd and prsntd in olor graphial form as an aid in intrprtation and ommuniation of rsults. CONCLUSIONS Both th P ARKST AT softwar and P ARKINFO data bas hav gratly assistd th Wollongong City Stion 94 parking study. Th ffiint managmnt of qiiarltitis of data has allowd th timly ompltion of Part 1 of th study by th du dat st by lgislation. Th P ARKINFO data bas will ontinu to b usd during Stag 2 of th study and will b modifid and updatd as rquird aording to futur planning nds. P ARKINFO has also bn usd to assss th impats of dvlopmnt appliations. Numrous maps hav bn produd that show th loation of major ar parks and dvlopmnts, ombind with traffi and publi transport ntworks. Anothr major appliation of this systm has bn to manag a wid rang of transport- rlatd data rquird for modling xriss. It has also allowd for asy idntifiation of planning issus within print. Th systm is xtrmly asy to us, rquiring minimal training and thnial support. Both PARKINFO and P ARKSTAT utiliz rlativly inxpnsiv miroomputr hardwar and softwar to provid tools for aiding th planning and managmnt of parking failitis within downtown aras. REFERENCES 1. Taylor, M.A. P., and W. Young. Traffi Analysis: Nw Thnology, Nw Solutions, Hargrn, Mlbourn, Australia, Young, W. Parking Poliy, Dsign and Data. Dpartmnt of Civil Enginring, Monash Univrsity, Information Managmnt: Th Traffi Enginring Rvolution. Prodings of Joint Institution of Enginrs, Australia and Institut of Transportation Enginrs Symposium, Mlbourn, Australia, Wurman, R. S. Information Anxity. Bantam Doublday Dll, Nw York, Chambrs, L. A Simpl Graphial Databas for Parking Failitis. Traffi Enginring and Control, Vol. 31, No. 3, 1990, pp Ratliff, P., and B. Listr. PALS (Parking and Land Us Systm) Usr Frindly Assistan for Infrastrutur Plannrs. Pro., 15th Australian Road Rsarh Board Confrn, Part 4, Darwin, Australia, THINK Pasal-Usr Manual. Symant Corporation, Cuprtino, Calif., Thompson, R. G., and E. C. Collins. PARKSTAT: A Parking Data Analysis Pakag. Prsntd at 3rd Australian Parking Convntion, Th Parking Assoiation of Australia, Mlbourn, MGill, R., J. W. Tuky, and W. A. Larson. Variation of Box Plots. Th Amrian Statistiian, Vol. 32, No. 1, 1978, pp Young, W:, and R. G. Thompson. Parking Durations: Survys and Tmporal Variation. Rsarh Rport 179, Australian Road Rsarh Board, Vrmont South, Australia, Young, W., M.A. P. Tayior, and P. Gipps. Miroomputrs in Traffi Enginring, Rsarh Prss, London, Filvision IV-Usr Manual. Marvlin Corporation, Santa Monia, Calif., Publiation of this papr sponsord by Committ on Transportation Systm Managmnt.