Parking & Mobility — August 2023

What is the parking and mobility industry doing to serve the needs of every person we represent?

32

Charm City Effect

Parking Authority of Baltimore City Focuses on Results for Everyone

By Peter E. Little

38

Transportation 101

What is Transportation Demand Management (TDM) & How Does it Support Cities’ Environmental & Equity Goals?

By Rachel Antelmi

44

Battling Disability Permit Misuse

Hawaii’s Two-Tiered System for Disability Parking

By Bryan K. Mick

48

The Role of Transportation Planning in Combatting Homelessness

Mobility planning impacts on supportive housing programs.

By Ravali Kosaraju, PE, PTOE

56

Celebrating Distinction

IPMI announces our newest CAPP certified professionals—those in our industry who exemplify parking and mobility knowledge and expertise.

58

APOs Take Center Stage

Parking, Transportation, and Mobility Organizations Achieve Top Industry Accreditation

COLUMNS

What is Transportation Equity?

By Tiffany Peebles

By Andrew LaMothe and Jacob Larson

A SK 100 PEOPLE, and you will get at least 95 answers. I know, because I did. The concept of transportation equity is still very much a moving target, evolving as the needs of our society continue to evolve.

By Amanda B. Clappsy

While each agency, organization, and individual may describe transportation equity differently, one common definition is universally agreed upon: equity in transportation is simply the goal of providing the same access to affordable and reliable transportation to everyone.

Here are a few other thoughts I uncovered on defining transportation equity:

By Josh Naramore

“The removal of barriers to eliminate transportation-related disparities faced by and improves equitable outcomes for historically marginalized communities, especially communities of color.”

By Julie Huval, FSMPS, CPSM

By Maggie Vercoe

From the Metro (Oregon) 2018 Regional Transportation Plan: Transportation Equity Evaluation

“A central goal of transportation equity is to facilitate social and economic opportunities by providing equitable levels of access to affordable and reliable transportation options based on the needs of the populations being served, particularly populations that are traditionally underserved. This population group includes low-income individuals, minority individuals, elderly persons, children, people with LEP [limited English proficiency], and/or persons with disabilities.”

From the Federal Highway Administration’s  environmental justice website.

“Transportation systems that support multimodal options that are affordable, sustainable, reliable, efficient, safe, and easy to use.”

—From the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s  Advancing Transportation Equity project.

August’s issue of Parking & Mobility will be looking at the transportation equity topic from many different viewpoints. From the Parking Authority of Baltimore City and the State of Hawaii tackling equity for ADA accessibility to how TDM supports equity goals and how transportation solutions can help combat homelessness, we have something for everyone.

What is your organization doing to further the goals of transportation equity? We want to hear from you! As always, thank you for taking some time to learn and grow with us.

Melissa Rysak, editor rysak@parking-mobility.org

PUBLISHER

Shawn Conrad, CAE s.conrad@parking-mobility.org

EDITOR

Melissa Rysak, CPSM rysak@parking-mobility.org

TECHNICAL EDITOR

Rachel Yoka, CAPP, LEED AP BD+C yoka@parking-mobility.org

ADVERTISING SALES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS

Tina Altman taltman@parking-mobility.org

PUBLICATION DESIGN

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Copyright © International Parking & Mobility Institute, 2023. Statements of fact and opinion expressed in articles contained if Parking & Mobility are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent an official expression of policy or opinion on the part of officers or the members of IPMI. Manuscripts, correspondence, articles, product releases, and all contributed materials are welcomed by Parking & Mobility; however, publication is subject to editing, if deemed necessary to conform to standards of publication.

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We’ve Come a Long Way!

By Tiffany Peebles

IFEEL INCREDIBLY FORTUNATE to be a part of an industry that understands the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion. I have only had the opportunity to serve on the IPMI Board of Directors for a year, but I have been a part of the parking industry for nearly three decades.

I distinctly remember attending my first IPI conference because, at the time, we had not yet introduced mobility to the title. It was in Orlando, Florida, in the late ’90s. I remember being overwhelmed and amazed by this great industry and all it offered. However, I also remember the lack of diversity in both color and gender represented at the conference. I am happy to say the landscape has dramatically changed for the better. This evolution in our industry has been both organic and intentional.

I have had the privilege of serving on a myriad of committees, starting with the New Members Committee, where I had the privilege of welcoming newcomers to both our industry and our organization, and then the Awards Committee, where I have witnessed our community’s amazing work building and revitalizing parking decks - artistic expressions of public art and sustainability. Parking and mobility have made amazing strides, and I am a parking nerd who is elated to see the growth. I am constantly amazed at how parking garages have been transitioned from blocks of concrete to works of art and design. Coming off the heels of our annual IPMI conference, it was exhilarating to see all the professionals in our field learn, share, and grow.

As an African American woman, I am most excited to see the strides women have made in parking and mobility, earning their CAPP certifications, and serving in leadership roles. Dedicating a month to the topic of diversity, equity, and inclusion is admirable and the staff and leadership should be proud and commended for taking on what can be, for some, a controversial and sensitive topic.

Today’s IPMI has webinars, continuing education courses, and an emphasis on ensuring we respect and honor different perspectives and viewpoints. The reality is the only way we move forward in this area is to address, talk, empathize, and respect each other. IPMI makes room for representation and unheard voices. I could not be prouder to be a part of such an impactful organization and am honored to sit on the Board of Directors.

TIFFANY PEEBLES is a Senior Account Manager for ParkMobile, a member of the IPMI Board of Directors, and a member of the IPMI Education Development Committee. She can be reached at tiffany.peebles@easypark.net

Stuck at the Curb?

Using Inventory, Intelligence, and Insights for Congestion Relief and Optimization

By Jacob Larson and Andrew LaMothe

IT’S NO SECRET THAT CONGESTION AND RELATED ISSUES are leaving drivers in our cities feeling “stuck at the curb.” As a causality, most will point to Shoup’s often-cited statistic that nearly 30% of urban congestion is created by drivers cruising for parking. Yet that was published in 2005, and some of our cities have grown by as much as 10% year over year, likely leading to higher congestion levels, especially in major metropolitan centers. In response, there has been an influx of emerging technologies, task forces, and research grants to address the congestion that plagues our streets and curbs.

Most recently, the USDOT created the $96 milliondollar SMART Grant to aid cities in their endeavors to help solve congestion, with 40% of grant funding awarded to curb management and sensor-based projects respectively.

While there isn’t a “magic formula” to solving congestion (yet), there are three ingredients of effective curb management: inventory, insight, and intelligence. These simple components can be utilized no matter the size of the environment or budget and will lead to immediate results getting your curb and streets moving in the right direction.

Inventory

While collecting an inventory of your curb may seem like a simple feat, it is essential to address various congestion-related questions to understand where to start. A solution that can be used is the Curb Data Specification by the Open Mobility Foundation. This specification enables cities to create a digital inventory of their curbs, and offers three main data endpoints: Curbs, Events, and Metrics APIs.

The Curbs API serves as the foundation for publishing curb uses, locations, and assigning policies to zones. It allows cities to communicate different curb regulations effectively through unique curb activities and user classes. Creating a curb inventory by utilizing the Curbs API can be accomplished in multiple ways. An organization can rely on inhouse resources and previously collected data to digitize assets. Once features have been translated into geographic polygons, policies or regulations can be assigned. Some development time will be required to tie the policies, activities, and time spans

together. Whether the data is in one source or is composed of two databases, the process to map fields between sources is relatively simple due to the design of the spec.

Cities can explore an alternative approach by leveraging existing partnerships with technology providers. Providers may offer pre-packaged solutions that can save time and potentially reduce expenses. While sharing geographical data may still be

necessary during planning, the implementation of policies and rates for curbs can be accelerated through a userfriendly interface.

Intelligence

To collect event-level data from technology partners, cities can leverage the Events API. For example, a sensor partner can query a city’s Curbs API to access information about curb locations, usage rates, and vehicles allowed in those zones. This real-time data integration helps cities make informed decisions and manage curbside activities efficiently. Additionally, cities and technology partners can work with delivery providers to directly receive event data through the Events API, enabling them to capture information as delivery activities occur in real time.

To assess and consolidate the event data gathered via the Events API, the Metrics API can be enabled. This API allows users to calculate predefined metrics such as curb occupancy or dwell time. CDS helps cities streamline their curb management processes, understand curb usage patterns, and make informed decisions to improve transportation and alleviate congestion.

Insight

Advances in technology allow municipalities to now have their curb inventory (supported by CDS), garage inventory, occupancy levels of all assets, payment compliance, revenue streams, and violation info live in a single software platform. This is extremely powerful and unlocks insights into parking environments that previously lacked accuracy and transparency. For example, capital expenditures planned for new parking facilities can be postponed or even canceled now that occupancy data reveals that parking assets aren’t available; they’re just underutilized and hard to find. By communicating the availability of said on-street, lot, and garage spaces in real-time to drivers, the congested curb due to cruising can now be utilized for its intended purpose(s).

Case Study

Cologne, Germany sought a solution that would significantly reduce traffic and CO2 emissions, while improving the quality of life in the neighborhood of Nippes.

To achieve this, the City needed to implement parking technology to guide drivers to the closest available parking space at every critical decision point. Occupancy and utilization data from overhead sensors needed to provide accurate real-time information on the number, location, and direction of free spaces around the city. Combined with guidance displays, drivers avoided searching for available parking for extended periods of time, improving their overall experience and reducing vehicle emissions.

On-site test drives have shown search time reduced by 45% through providing information about the location of available parking space through the system as opposed to a random search. At the same time, the distance driven was reduced by 41%. In the process, 145 test drives were carried out during the day on weekdays at three different locations and at a parking space occupancy rate between 95 and 99%.

Prior to the installation of the solution, the occupancy rate was at 88% between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on weekdays. This result was based on the measurement of 10,000 parking spaces/events. Additionally, after the guidance system was deployed, the parking capacity usage increased by nearly 8 percentage points to 96%.

The results are clear. Integrating these smart curb management solutions has a profound impact not only on the user experience but helps to dramatically reduce the time and emissions spent on the search for parking. As cities continue to grow, the risks of greater levels of congestion grow with them. But the solutions available today to alleviate this congestion will dramatically improve the parking and transportation experience and help to create cleaner and more sustainable communities.

JACOB LARSON serves as Applications Analyst for the City of Omaha – Parking Division. He can be reached at jacob.larson@cityofomaha.org.

ANDREW LAMOTHE serves as VP of Sales, North America and Marketing for Cleverciti. He can be reached at andrew.lamothe@cleverciti.com

Is Age Just a Number?

By Amanda B. Clappsy

WE DON’T TALK ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE UNCOMFORTABLE, they stay uncomfortable. Age-related bias is a topic we rarely hear about in the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) realm, but age discrimination spans every generation. Whether you are considered too young for a “senior” position or too old to be relevant, the reality is, as with most issues, we are our own worst enemy.

Through the DEI movement, difficult conversations about gender, race, religion, and sexual orientation have generated necessary change and elevated us all. There is still work to do but when we look forward, that long path is filled with optimism. Often forgotten but equally as impressive is how far we have come and the women and men that spirited that effort.

Now, use that same lens and think about age. Everyone has a history and experiences that have helped shape who they are, and everyone has a path filled with promise.

Earlier this year, I received a draft of my own resume, prepared for a project proposal from a colleague. The introduction read: Amanda has nearly 30 years of experience in the construction industry.

I read it and denied that this duration was accurate. I then did the math, sighed, and despite the pride I should feel as a woman who has worked in construction for this long, I asked for it to be changed to: Amanda has over 25 years of experience…somehow this made me feel more viable, less old. Guess what? I am still 49; it didn’t change a thing except my outlook.

Reflecting on that moment, I realized our society often uses age to determine someone’s value. It’s widespread and we do it to our own detriment just as much as we do to others. We use thinly veiled jokes, lie about our age, and cast aspersions on those older and younger who don’t sit within our age group to make ourselves feel better.

In December 2022, Kim E. Jackson, CAPP, wrote a brilliant article for IPMI regarding the impact of name biases and how it affects the review of a resume. The same holds true for age. Do you look at the history of employment or graduation dates, calculate the age, and wonder if you will “waste resources” on someone who will retire soon, or do you see the lack of experience and think, “another Millennial?”

What we are doing by being age restrictive is losing opportunities to learn from each other and grow into a more well-rounded team. That younger colleague has a fresh set of eyes that offers a new perspective, while a more veteran team

member can offer the experience of lessons learned, and what we all have is the capacity to make each other better.

Every generation tends to think their life is harder than the others, leaving very little empathy for those who follow in our footsteps and little respect for those who paved the way.

It’s difficult for us to set aside age when society constantly encourages us to find the fountain of youth. And honestly, should you find that fountain, I’ll take a sip. But until that happens, let’s find ways we can be better.

What we can do is embrace the experiences, accomplishments, and potential of others as individuals and not as a number.

We can give a person the equitable opportunity to succeed.

We can be open to learning from those we teach.

We can be open to being out of our comfort zone and adjusting to someone else’s.

We can stop making what we think are innocuous comments about people’s age because what those comments are actually doing is creating an environment for disparity.

We can be aware of “harmless” vernacular that considers someone’s age or discounting someone’s relevance based on their age. Instead, why not lean in on their experience and their contributions to the team?

And, side note, as a woman, I can tell you, “You look good for your age” is not a compliment.

My career no longer has the shelf life I once thought it did. My words are only as good as the actions I set in motion, so I decided to open my own construction consulting firm earlier this year after nearly 30 years of working in construction management. I wanted to be able to do what I love, which is to guide the construction process, but if I’m going to build places, I need to be accountable to also build up people, all people, along the way. ◆

AMANDA B. CLAPPSY is the Principal of CC3 Consulting, LLC. She can be reached at amanda@ cc3consultingllc.com

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Breaking Barriers

Grand Rapids’ Bold Steps Towards Equity in Mobility

By Josh Naramore

THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAS EXACERBATED our country’s long-existing systemic racial and economic inequities. In this challenging time, thinking about the future of mobility and the public realm with intentionality through the lens of equity is vital. Neighborhoods of color have unequal access to safe, affordable, and fast transportation options compared to white residents in many cities like Grand Rapids.

Racial and income disparities persist in the ownership of personal vehicles. This is not unique to Grand Rapids, but these disparities have only broadened during the pandemic, and addressing them requires a commitment to equity.

Transportation is the second-highest household expense after housing. Limited mobility options impact residents and employees, restricting our communities’ economy and quality of life. Local governments must coordinate and test programs and services that provide citizens with low and no-cost transportation choices.

Grand Rapids Shared Micromobility Program

The City of Grand Rapids Micromobility Program started with a pilot in the fall of 2020 and became a permanent program in the fall of 2022. One private vendor has deployed e-scooters and e-bikes in a 12 square-mile area, including downtown, neighborhoods and business districts. The contract articulates performance targets for fleet mix (e-scooters and e-bikes), equity pricing, and service area.

The service area encompasses 74% of underserved neighborhoods and is intentionally focused on providing mobility services to the City’s Neighborhoods of Focus (NOFs), 17 census tracts in the near west and south side of Grand Rapids in relation to downtown. Due to

systemic and historical inequities, residents in NOFs experience the most disparate outcomes in income, educational opportunities, home ownership, car ownership, and wealth accumulation compared to other Grand Rapids census tracts and the City as a whole. All trips that originate in the NOFs automatically receive reduced unlock and per-minute fees per ride.

The City is currently working on a more permanent, expanded partnership with the private vendor on micro-mobility passes. The private vendor’s access program requires participants to apply and provide income verification but once approved, riders receive 50% off ride costs. The current program is not highly subscribed and has mostly been marketed to students.

The City team had previously conceived an opportunity for a low or no-cost pass program to provide standalone passes with 2,700 minutes (three 15-minute rides per day for two months). The passes would have been provided to up to 100 participants in two neighborhoods. However, privacy issues were identified as the City would need to administer the program and perform residency verification. This program would have been staff and resource intensive to the City and the private vendor and would have lasted only two months.

Our team’s thinking shifted to better promote the existing vendor access program through city communications and events to impact more residents. The team is also adjusting the geography of the NOF discount ride promotion to a smaller area to provide additional discounts or entirely free rides. This will allow participants to use the existing discount framework and enrollment from the private vendor and have a more lasting impact on users. Ridership patterns and user feedback can be analyzed to adjust the pass program.

Community EV Carshare

Car sharing increases transportation options for those who are least likely to own a car and is potentially most beneficial to people who are least likely to be able to afford privately-owned vehicles. Car sharing can be defined as services that provide access to a vehicle or fleet of vehicles for short-term use, priced by the hour or minute, located conveniently throughout the community, and with a bundled rate to cover most if not all costs (such as gas, maintenance, and insurance). It provides many of the benefits of a personal vehicle but without the costs of ownership. Car sharing can also increase the availability to individuals and employers for fleet operations that might not be able to afford to purchase and operate EVs.

Mobile GR has selected a consultant and operator to provide carshare feasibility analysis and planning services with the goal of ultimately operating a publicly accessible neighborhood electric carshare program. This car share model has succeeded in small and mid-sized cities, such as Rochester, NY, and Stockton,

CA, and will soon launch in St. Louis, MO. The planning phase will evaluate the market and costs for an electric car sharing service that is an affordable mobility option for low-and moderate-income residents, visitors, and businesses and provides a high-quality user experience.

The planning stage is an important first step to prepare for the launch of a service in late 2023. The City has funded an initial budget of $500,000 to cover three years of startup and operations. The initial funding also provides hands-on support for applying for rebates, incentives, and/or grants to support electric vehicle deployments, which will be necessary to build out charging infrastructure and scale and sustain a program. The planning phase includes engagement of regional stakeholders on the interest in and benefits of a neighborhoodbased carshare service, identification of potential sites and establishment of multiple program scenarios, including one based in the neighborhoods of focus, and projection and delineation of future costs based on program size, geography, and other variables.

Transportation and mobility must adapt to more rapidly advance improvements to transit, biking, walking, and increased mobility options. Communities across the country are wrestling with challenges in creating a transportation system to better address equity challenges and connect residents and employees to transportation. We all need to live somewhere, and we all need to get somewhere: affordable housing without transportation options leaves much of the affordability problem unresolved. Piloting low and no-cost transportation programs and services are essential to longer-term equitable mobility solutions. ◆

JOSH NARAMORE is the Mobile GR Director for the City of Grand Rapids, MI, and a member of IPMI’s Electric Vehicle Readiness Cohort and Smart Transportation Task Force. He can be reached at jnaramore@grcity.us

Driving Revenue and Reputation The Power of Marketing in the Parking Industry

by Julie Huval, FSMPS, CPSM

PARKING IS BIG BUSINESS IN PLAIN SIGHT without a lot of fanfare. This $120+ billion industry is everywhere without most people realizing its presence. Yet, the second a driver can’t find a space close to their destination, their frustrations skyrocket and the parking industry gets a bad reputation.

This is where marketing can boost brand reputation, increase revenue, and fill the gaps for a scalable business model. If you are in the parking industry, you have likely invested in research about your business, competitors, options in technology, processes, and workflows. You need this collective information to create your marketing plan.

You may ask, “Why would I need a marketing plan for our parking business?” The answer is simple yet powerful: because it generates revenue. Whatever you do to create revenue as a municipality, town/city, parking authority, operator, or developer needs to have a marketing plan associated with it. A flushed-out marketing plan will provide you data insights into this revenue stream, so you know when to push and pull initiatives to create a great experience for people who use your services and provide business forecasting for growth and expansion.

A marketing plan includes research and analysis, setting objectives, defining marketing strategies, an action plan, budget allocation, implementation, and measurement. You likely have the research and analysis at your fingertips, so the marketing plan’s first part is complete. Let’s walk through the other parts of the plan so you can build up your parking revenue success.

Setting Objectives

You need the research and analysis to set your objectives for your parking business. Simply stating, “We want to double our revenue from parking next year,” is not a sustainable business practice. You must develop clear, measurable goals aligning with your business objectives. Setting objectives gives everyone in your organization the knowledge of what you are aiming for and objectives let you measure them so you can improve. Scaling your parking business requires measurement and improvement.

Defining Marketing Strategies

Marketing strategies allow you to differentiate your parking offering in your market. It includes your value proposition, product or service strategy, pricing discussion, and promotion tactics. You can’t do the marketing strategies before your objectives are set because you’ll aim blindly at goals instead of laser-focused on growth. These strategies are not created solely by marketers and aren’t drafted in a bubble in a leadership meeting. This is a collaborative action item involving multiple stakeholders.

Action Plan

You can create the action plan once the strategies are documented and aligned with each objective. This plan gives your strategy legs and creates a timeline. During this portion of the marketing plan, you also want to allocate resources (budget, personnel, and technology) for your action plan. Some ideas for your action plan include advertising campaigns, content creation, email marketing, events, and public relations.

Budget Allocation

While many perform budget allocation earlier in the marketing plan process, waiting until you have more information to base

the budget on is a much more effective approach. Once you have a recommended budget based on all available data, this is where the grit and ingenuity of your marketing professionals come into play. Marketers can be resourceful with the budget if all applicable stakeholders and organization leaders are bought into the objective, strategy, and action. Marketers are accustomed to changing budgets off-cycle as the business environment ebbs and flows. Budget allocation at this marketing plan stage helps set return-on-investment projections and creates a breakdown of costs for various marketing initiatives.

Implementation

Make your plan come alive! Assign responsibilities and accountability to team members for the execution of your plan. Having an agile team in place to create contingency plans and strategies for handling unforeseen challenges will exponentially boost your business in the short term and for future growth. This team should also create key performance indicators (KPIs) to track progress and be able to adjust on the fly to tactics.

Measurement

While this may be the last item of the marketing plan formula, it is ongoing. Regular evaluation of the marketing plan’s performance against your set objectives lets you see trends, feedback, and your competitive landscape in real-time. Constant measurement allows you to adapt and adjust based on market changes.

Your business marketing plan serves as a roadmap for your team, provides a structured approach to achieve marketing objectives, allocates resources effectively, supports informed decision-making, measures performance, adapts to market changes, and aligns stakeholders. It is vital for driving growth and maintaining a competitive edge in the parking market.

At Walker Consultants, we strive to out-perform our peers and build lasting relationships with our clients. As a 100% employeeowned company, your success is our success, too.

Wondering how much parking you need? How to provide access by foot, bike, or transit? Our planning consultants can help. Our parking design services lead the industry and cover every detail from structural design to daily operations.

Our restoration experts are dedicated to extending the life of your structure. Our asset management plans let you budget for maintenance and can save you money in the long run.

No matter your challenge, you can trust the experts at Walker Consultants to put you first. Get in touch today to learn how.

JULIE HUVAL,

FSMPS, CPSM is the Head of Marketing at Beck Technology. She can be reached at juliehuval@beck-technology.com

We’re the parking and mobility firm that puts you first.

A Spot for Everyone Parking’s Impact on Transportation Equity

by Maggie Vercoe

WHEN I ENVISION A BRIGHTER FUTURE for the communities we serve, I see parking and transportation infrastructure centered around creating opportunities for everyone to fully thrive.

It’s an unfortunate reality that disparities remain in the transportation sector. The decisions we make concerning the improvement of infrastructure— from smarter roadways and road safety to public transportation and parking—tend to focus on solving issues related to efficiency and economic development rather than the impact they have on every individual’s ability, income level, socio-demographic circumstance, and other factors.

In my profession and in my convictions that I hold dear, I am focused on ensuring that individuals with challenges never feel marginalized. It’s also my goal to help customers reach outcomes that matter most, which is a shared value of our parent company, Verra Mobility.

As David Roberts, President and CEO of Verra Mobility, has stated, “Providing smart, equitable

mobility solutions for communities is Verra Mobility’s core focus. We want to enrich lives by helping customers build and maintain safer roadways, corridors, and intersections.”

As leaders in the parking and mobility industry, we are responsible for moving the needle forward for greater equity in transportation. I’m proud to be a part of an organization that builds solutions that live up to this belief. I am also proud to own a role that can help effect positive change in the world of parking alone. There is no small part in what we can do to create a reliable, affordable, and convenient gateway to employment, healthcare, education, and other areas that impact quality of life.

Here are some things I’ve learned in more than 28 years in the industry that are important considerations in creating a spot for everyone.

1. Parking policies and practices that you support and implement directly impact transportation equity.

Are your parking requirements flexible? Is accessibility at the forefront of your operations? Are there affordable options for parking in all necessary areas? Limited access to affordable and reliable public transportation paired with parking fees priced on the higher end are factors that impact individuals. Consider how your policies may help ease the financial concerns of those affected most.

Allocating some of your parking revenue to support your community’s resources, or even offering incentive programs for using alternative modes of transportation can benefit all residents and visitors regardless of their income or other sociodemographic factors.

Ask yourself: Can you do more with your policies and practices to accommodate individuals with mobility or other challenges? By providing disabled persons parking spaces with wider spaces, adjacent access aisles, and closer proximity to building entrances and amenities, you’ll create fewer barriers. All can participate in community activities, access public services, and visit your area’s businesses without obstacles.

Regardless of your role in parking, leading or influencing the direction of your facility impacts transportation equity. How do you plan your organizational strategies to create a greater experience and opportunity for your visitors to access shops, schools, jobs, and quality food? Your leadership has the power to cultivate a thriving, connected community with more equitable access to transportation.

PERFORMANCE DOORS

2. Technology can only be considered “advanced” when it’s designed to meet and exceed accessibility standards for all.

Top parking technology companies continue to expand how facilities and municipalities attain a more equitable operation. The thoughtful design of solutions—with features that address accessibility, convenience, and other user needs—significantly empowers organizations to create a more inclusive environment for their patrons.

With the realization that more development is needed in the industry, some current technologies break down physical, financial, and cultural barriers that can be implemented today.

● Space reservation systems that provide peace of mind to those with mobility or other challenges. The ability to reserve parking spaces before arrival greatly reduces the stress and uncertainty of finding available, accessible parking and assures individuals they can get to destinations that improve their quality of life.

● Smart parking systems that stay connected without contact. Technologies such as gateless parking sensors, license plate recognition (LPR) cameras, mobile payment options, and software made for real-time data management are revolutionizing the parking industry and city planning. These modern systems provide convenience and easy access for parkers with mobility or sensory challenges. Many of today’s mobile payment application features are centered around the needs of every user and an understanding of the world around us. Adjustments and implementations like these also impact efficiency in the areas that need it most, like hospitals, campuses, and high-traffic event arenas.

● Multilingual interfaces integrated with payment stations. To ensure information and instruction are accessible to individuals with limited English proficiency, offer an option for users to interact in languages that may also be prevalent in your community. Users unable to understand how to adhere to your facility processes may also face the hardship of paying fines they can’t afford due to non-compliance. As you see, technology opens doors to greater access and

opportunities for all. As a leader, you can drive your facility towards real systemic change in transportation equity by leveraging and creating new ways to offer parking.

3. The power of data can drive change and uncover inequities.

Parking technology can generate valuable data about parking patterns, usage, and behaviors, allowing facilities to make better-informed decisions regarding their operations. Careful analysis of this data can enable facilities to identify areas of improvement, including those related to equity.

Some ways to leverage data to determine insights by demographic needs include:

● Determining if accessibility and use of facilities are working for different demographics. Are the lengths of stay longer than usual? By analyzing data about location and time, facilities can identify challenges faced by individuals who are differently abled or those who struggle with low income. This data can drill down details about parker behaviors like where they parked in your facility and the length of time they remained in a space. The information can lead to the development or change in policies and parking infrastructure to enhance equity in your facility.

● Determining if the allocation of parking facilities is equitable. Are you offering parking access in all the right places? By analyzing data around occupancy and demand, you can determine whether certain areas in your community have an oversupply or undersupply of parking spaces. It’s also important to consider parking pattern data that can reveal whether your operation fairly accommodates patrons who need parking the most. Individuals with limited access to public transportation depend on parking to arrive at their destinations. All this data can guide decisions about locating or relocating facilities to ensure equitable access to parking options.

● Determining whether pricing and permitting strategies are fair. Do your parking rates always align with demand? Is there an opportunity to offer certain parking permits to help

The decisions we make concerning the improvement of infrastructure tend to focus on solving issues related to efficiency and economic development rather than the impact they have on every individual’s ability, income level, socio-demographic circumstance, and other factors.

improve the experience of individuals with different needs? Analyzing parking occupancy and demand in your facility can also help you consider and establish dynamic pricing structures with adjustable rates based on demand levels. Additionally, data about the usage of spaces can help inform decisions about the issuance of parking permits that would address the needs of different parkers. Considering this data can ensure that pricing and availability are equitable for all.

As a parking technology company leader, I prioritize data availability as a top feature of our technology that will empower customers to make positive changes in their parking operations while creating a better, more equitable world. Don’t make your own assumptions. I’ve found customer feedback and direct engagement to be invaluable tools for uncovering and addressing inequities. Creating the space for transparent conversations teaches us more about barriers that jam up a smooth parking experience for all. I would encourage

you to direct resources to institute and manage surveys or interact directly with your patrons to learn more about their specific needs. Let feedback be your guide for attaining the most equitable facility.

Be a force for change! You can lead your organization to make a great impact on transportation equity through your parking policies and practices, leveraging new parking technologies and insightful data. You’ll open endless opportunities to move your operation and community forward and help us all realize a brighter future with opportunities for all to thrive.

MAGGIE VERCOE is Senior Vice President, Customer Experience at T2 Systems, a Verra Mobility Company. She can be reached at mvercoe@t2systems. com

Kansas City International Airport Parking Structure

THE LARGEST INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT in Kansas

City history created a brand-new single air terminal for this regional gateway—with a brand-new parking structure to match. Opened to the public in February 2023, the seven-story, 2-million-square-foot facility is located directly across from the terminal’s passenger entrance, providing 6,219 parking spaces.

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill served as principal architects for the overall airport redesign, with the design-build partnership of BNIM and JE Dunn Construction taking the lead on the parking structure. Further collaboration with Bendheim and LängleGlas resulted in the creation of a distinctive glass façade that serves numerous design purposes. The shingled arrangement of the glass creates natural airflow in and out of the garage, eliminating the energy cost of mechanical ventilation. To attach the 6’ x 14’ panels without a costly steel substructure, Bendheim and LängleGlas designed and manufactured a custom system

FIRM: Bendheim

PROJECT: BuildKCI

PROJECT LOCATION: Kansas City, Missouri

PROJECT OWNER: Kansas City Aviation Department

PROJECT TEAM MEMBERS:

● Architect: BNIM

● Design-Build: JE Dunn

Construction

● Glass Façade: LängleGlas

STAFF:

● Said Elieh, Vice President for Sales & Innovation, selieh@bendheim.com

● Derya Celenoglu, Product Manager, dcelenoglu@bendheim.com

Elieh Celenoglu

Bendheim

Our strong collaborative design process with Bendheim addressed highly technical challenges while maintaining the design essence for the new garage. The beautiful 50,000+ SF shingled glass façade reflects both the landscape and community of Kansas City in an ever-changing dance of reflected light.

—Josh Harrold, AIA, NCARB, Associate Principal, BNIM

of vertical compression clips, reflecting Bendheim’s extensive experience with glass attachment systems, the 14-inch-long clips are engineered to hold 800-pound panels of glass securely in place, all while accommodating construction tolerances, live load movement, wind loads, and expansion joints.

On the aesthetic front, BNIM “kicked out” glass fins at selected points on the façade to create a visual connection between the parking facility and the nearby terminal. The location of the fins also subtly assists passengers to locate the two pedestrian crossings in the roadway. By day, reflective glass on the north façade presents a view of ground and sky to approaching motorists, while the etched glass on the west façade softens light directed at the terminal. At night (equally important for a round-the-clock transportation hub), individually programmable LED lights on each glass panel illuminate the structure and highlight its details.

Kansas City taxpayers approved the $1.5 billion upgrade to their city’s front door by public referendum

in 2017, and the public’s convenience was never far from project planners’ minds. In addition to parking only steps from the terminal, travelers can expect a faster and less frustrating experience thanks to an advanced parking assist system by TKH Security: red and green ceiling lights show the way to open spaces. Passengers can leave their electric vehicles to charge at one of the 52 designated spaces—or have valet parking do it for them. Looking to the future (and contributing to the overall project’s achievement of LEED BD+C NC Gold Certification), a 168-kW array of solar panels on the south façade provides for the building’s power needs, including its ability to charge a fleet of electric buses. The airport parking experience will also benefit from the impact of Kansas City’s signature One Percent for Art initiative, which established a $5.6 million budget for public art at the renovated airport. A colorful installation by Hou De Sousa entitled “Flights” greets passengers in the parking structure stairwell, invoking the excitement of travel with visual allusions to aircraft design and a vibrant sense of activity. ◆

PHOTO: MICHAEL ROBINSON PHOTOGRAPHY;

Parking & Transportation Association

Get to Know SWPTA

By Poppy Guloien

THE SOUTHWEST PARKING AND TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION (SWPTA) annual conference is based in Las Vegas, Nevada, and unlike other regional organizations, our annual conference location does not change from year to year. The SWPTA Board of Directors is extremely engaged and passionate about providing value for our membership and making our conference and annual events better every year. We do not restrict membership based on geographical region; instead, we welcome all parking professionals to be part of our community. Our annual membership fee includes everyone on your team. You might have noticed the orange “Wanna SWPTA?” conference ribbons at IPMI’s Parking & Mobility Conference & Expo in June ask us how you can become a part of SWPTA!

One of the aspects I love about SWPTA is its ability to provide a robust forum for conversations among parking professionals. Our annual conference, webinars, social events, and other activities all combine to nurture a culture that encourages individuals to step out of their comfort zones, broaden their knowledge, and expand their professional networks.

Last year’s SWPTA conference was so popular that we had to graduate to a much larger conference facility at the Golden Nugget (SWPTA’s legacy conference location) for this year’s event. We have plenty of room for you and your colleagues to come and join the SWPTA family. Maria Tamaya-Soto, City of Las Vegas Parking Manager, oversees our award-winning social media promotions on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Maria always posts interesting, relevant, and often very amusing parking content, so we encourage you to follow us on social media and stay in touch (#SWPTA). It is a great way to stay aware of our upcoming activities, including free quarterly educational webinars that cover a wide range of topics for you and your entire team.

We also host fun social events like the extremely popular SWPTA Annual Gingerbread Garage building contest hosted to celebrate the holiday season. What started as a pandemic virtual activity was so entertaining that we instituted it as a holiday tradition. It is a great time, and many of our competitors collaborate with their family members, even involving their kids in the fun. Some participants spend countless hours crafting and constructing their creations to compete in categories including tallest, most realistic, and people’s choice. Last year, the UNLV parking team blew us away with an exact replica of a campus garage; it was spectacular. Each entrant provides an entertaining walkthrough of their garage creation, highlighting design features and enhancements. The laughs are endless, but you must be a

SWPTA member to qualify for a prize, so get your colleagues and family involved and do not miss this year’s Gingerbread Garage competition on December 14th

In April, we introduced the first SWPTAstic Egg Decorating Contest. SWPTA members gathered on Zoom to present their decorated eggs. Just like the Gingerbread Garage event, participants worked with their families and officemates to prepare their creations. Looks like we have another annual event because it was fun and hilarious!

Upcoming Events

Our Annual Conference will be hosted October 23–25, 2023 at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas, Nevada, and it is not too late to register to join in on the SWPTAstic fun that you have been missing. Click here to register SWPTA sets itself apart as a distinctive parking conference by offering a refreshing approach. Unlike other conferences, we do not feature trade show exhibit booths. Instead, our primary focus lies in fostering networking opportunities and building a strong sense of community. Our sponsors are invited to deliver short power pitches about their companies but with a fun twist. The resounding success of last year’s Power Hour has motivated us to elevate the experience even further, expanding this engaging activity over the course of two days. Additionally, we carefully curate our conference curriculum rather than issuing a general call for presentations. This ensures a heightened level of relevance and engagement throughout the event. At SWPTA, there is a unique opportunity to meet industry colleagues, socialize, and develop meaningful connections with them. The conference starts at Top Golf, providing an inclusive environment where everyone can participate, regardless of their golfing skills.

Southwest

SWPTA Annual Gingerbread Garage building contest: UNLV parking team’s exact replica of a campus garage

SWPTAstic Egg Decorating Contest

SWPTA Annual Costume Party

This kickoff event catalyzes networking and, most importantly, fosters bonds with fellow attendees.

Due to our conference’s proximity to Halloween, we celebrate with an exciting costume party as part of our evening event. Attendees arrive dressed in captivating costumes, highlighting a wealth of creative group ensembles and unique individual looks. This event’s energy, spirit, and enthusiasm are infectious, creating an atmosphere of joy and camaraderie. Additionally, it becomes much easier to remember the individuals you meet when they are dressed as beloved characters like SpongeBob SquarePants or an Out-of-Order Parking Meter.

For those that are struggling to get your agency or company to support your attendance at SWPTA, we offer complimentary conference registration for first-time agency attendees. We are also excited to offer the Warren Reynolds Scholarship Program and we encourage interested parties to complete the application on the SWPTA website ◆

POPPY GULOIEN is a Regional Sales Manager, Municipal and Commercial for T2 Systems, a Verra Mobility Company, a member of the IPMI State & Regional Association (SRA) Committee, and a Director for SWPTA. She can be reached at poppy.guloien@t2systems.com

2022–2023 Board of Directors

EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS

PRESIDENT

Julie Dixon Dixon Resources Unlimited

VICE PRESIDENT

Donna King

Parking Coordinator, Paso Robles Police Department

SECRETARY

Andy Cushman, CAPP General Manager, LAZ Parking

DIRECTORS

Cristie Steffy

Parking Superintendent, City of Monterey

Darby Garcia

Assistant Director, University Transit Services, Northern Arizona University

Danyell Little

Director of Client Success, Municipal Services, SP+

Jim DuFon

Vice President, Government Projects, Flash Parking

SWPTA ASSOCIATION & EVENTS MANAGER

Yael Oved Association & Events Manager

In Memoriam

TREASURER

Brandy Stanley, CAPP

Vice President, State & Local Market Development, Flash Parking

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT

Andrew Vidor

Director of Planning, Operations, and Technology, Walker Consultants

Poppy Guloien

Parking Permitting and Enforcement

Solution Sales, T2 Systems

Maria Tamayo-Soto, MBA, CAPP Parking Administrator, City of Las Vegas

Peter MacDonald

Director of Project Management & Solution Delivery, Flowbird

Tony Valadez

Parking Program Manager, City of Napa

SWPTA sadly shares the passing of board member and Park Tuscon Administrator Donovan Durband, CAPP. Donovan actively served on the SWPTA Board of Directors, not only as the current Vice President, but also the previous SWPTA Board Secretary and IPMI State & Regional Association (SRA) representative. He was a notable SWPTA supporter and was always the first to volunteer and offer creative, out-of-the-box ideas. The tributes, posts and news stories have been heartfelt and impactful. His Tucson community has recognized Donovan’s contributions and paid tribute to his legacy. It is evident that Donovan had a significant impact on many and he will be sorely missed by our SWPTA family, by our industry, and his Tucson community.

ASK THE EXPERTS

Transportation equity requires understanding the needs of every person potentially served or impacted by every transportation decision. What is the parking and mobility industry doing to impact transportation equity?

Gabe Mendez, CAPP Director of Transportation Operations University of Wisconsin-Madison

When your organization is evaluating the impacts of a change to a program, the equity in its availability or coverage, or its effectiveness you need to include all potential customers. One way to aid in the analysis is to include those underserved and underrepresented communities as distinct subsets.

Nancy Kobielski Business Services & Communications Manager, Parking & Transportation Services Division of Finance and Administration University at Buffalo

Our university is spread over three campuses. Our Parking and Transportation Services Department is in the process of implementing another transit stop along our fixed route between our two main campuses to help service the student population along that line. In addition, we offer a shuttle service from one of our campuses to our downtown campus. Parking downtown comes with a high price tag and our shuttle provides a no-cost option for our faculty/staff and students.

As consultants, we strive to positively impact mobility and access. By partnering with communities, we proactively acknowledge and navigate the unbalanced distribution of accessibility by diversifying permit options to support alternative modes of transportation, offering discounted permits for low-income earners, and enhancing the mobility framework of communities to minimize barriers to equitable access for all.

Alex Argudin, CAPP CEO Miami Parking Authority

Parking organizations can take the lead to help support economically impacted populations by providing free-of-charge or low-cost micromobility options that reduce the cost of transportation, foster connectivity, and close the first- and last-mile gaps. The overarching goal is to support various transportation initiatives that foster accessible, sustainable, reliable, and equitable services for all. Building and buttressing relationships with municipal, county, state, and federal partners help strengthen economic opportunities for the betterment of the community.

Jeshua D. Pringle, CAPP, AICP Parking Planner Kimley-Horn

Partnerships between local governments, transportation agencies, local businesses, and transportation management organizations to bridge transportation gaps in underserved communities are a great way to make an impact and create more inclusive transportation networks. For example, regional efforts like this in Colorado offer demand-responsive transit and electric bike rebate programs to incentivize alternate transportation modes and change how people move around our cities.

Scott C. Bauman, CAPP Manager of Parking & Mobility Services City of Aurora, CO

The parking and mobility industry continues to advance creative opportunities, services, and smart technology to offer the broadest possible selection of transportation solutions to reach as many diverse individuals and communities as possible. Equity is advancing at all levels from affordable access to car/vehicle share services in economic opportunity zones to thoughtful road space and curb lane allocation for new and evolving modes, services, and vehicle types.

Communities across the country are wrestling with challenges in creating a transportation system to better address equity challenges and connect residents and employees to transportation. We all need to live somewhere, and we all need to get somewhere. I think our industry is piloting low and nocost transportation programs and services that are essential to longer-term equitable mobility solutions.

Nicole

The parking and mobility industry has prioritized public outreach efforts and the importance of data for some time now. These efforts have put our industry at the forefront of impacting transportation equity. Expanding transportation beyond the vehicle, analyzing equity trends, and being in tune with all users allows us to better bridge gaps in connectivity and equity.

Joseph Madison Associate Director of Parking Operations Kennesaw State University

Increasing connectivity between different modes of transportation is a key to equitable service distribution. While we look to make sure all parkers have space, we also demonstrate the importance of safety when transitioning to transit. Once we park, exit our car, and begin our path to the elevator, we become the pedestrians that need the emphasis on safety.

Wady Burgos, CAPP Parking & TDM Coordinator City of Westminster, CO

Josh Naramore Mobile GR Director City of Grand Rapids, MI

Chinea, CAPP Senior Planner Harris County Engineering

David Parker CEO Cleverciti

Our industry proactively implements initiatives and solutions to address transportation equity through shared mobility services, transit integration, accessibility standards, data analysis and planning, community engagement, and more. Smart parking solutions offering real-time parking availability information, mobile payment options, accessible parking availability, and more will continue to profoundly impact parking access for all individuals. Digital signage helps the entire community (not just those with smartphones) find the best transit option for them.

John Hammerschlag President Hammerschlag & Co., Inc.

The parking and mobility industry can impact transportation equity through online sales and dynamic pricing, improving parking availability and efficiency. Research studies performed by municipalities identify and address the transportation needs of all their residents. Finally, providing accessible, affordable, and subsidized parking options can improve equity in areas where public transportation is not readily available.

Marlene Cramer, CAPP, LEED Green Associate Director, Transportation and Parking Services Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo

We are addressing transportation infrastructure gaps mainly due to long-term underinvestment. Programmatic decisions should support providing sustainable, affordable, safe, reliable, and equitable transportation programs for the betterment of our communities.

Irma Henderson, CAPP Director of Transportation Services University of California, Riverside

The biggest impact is the attention to movement and not to the cessation of it. The parking space is no longer the destination. The path of travel to the activity or service that a person needs is the destination. By changing the destination, we change the conversation to include different modes of travel, and the person becomes the center of attention.

By Peter E. Little

THE PARKING AUTHORITY OF BALTIMORE CITY (PABC) recognizes that the “parking” aspects of transportation need to work for everyone. Here in Baltimore, where income disparities vary wildly, less than 20% of the housing stock are detached single-family homes, and 30% of residents do not own a car, it is vital that we keep all people and their varied circumstances in mind when we make decisions. From the types of payments we accept, to the placement of car sharing vehicles and electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in Baltimore City, we are intentionally building equity into all that we do.

CHARM

Parking Authority of Baltimore City Focuses on Results for Everyone

EFFECT CITY

The Parking Authority of Baltimore City was created in 2001 as a quasi-governmental agency. We often function like a typical City agency but are technically a non-profit 501(c)3. Our small and dedicated team delivers a wide range of services to the public – residents, visitors, and commuters – those that drive and park regularly and even those who do not. Our mission is to find, create, and implement parking solutions for Baltimore City and to be the resource on all things parking in Baltimore.

Baltimore City officials rely on us to be the parking experts in the city. We oversee the management of 13 cityowned or leased parking garages and 20 parking lots. We manage the placement, hours of operation, and rates of onstreet parking meters. We administer the City’s Residential Permit Parking (RPP) and Residential Reserved Disabled Parking (RRDP) programs. We do not oversee parking enforcement, but we do work closely with the Department of Transportation, which does have that responsibility so that we can coordinate the administration and enforcement of parking programs and projects.

Equity in Metered Parking

We provide equity in our on-street metered parking program in three ways.

Ensure That Everyone Can Pay for Metered Parking.

As the Abell Foundation reported in 2019, 21% of Baltimoreans are unbanked. Because of this, each parking meter in Baltimore City accepts credit cards and coins. As many in the parking industry move to restrict payment to credit cards only (through parking meters or apps), we will not make the switch. To make our services available to everyone in the community, we recognize that we need to continue to accept cash payments at parking meters and at off-street parking facilities, at least until viable non-cash

payment options are available to people who are unbanked. Although more transactions are made by credit or debit cards, we intentionally keep cash as a payment option to serve all Baltimoreans.

Provide Some Lower Cost Parking Meter Rates Throughout Baltimore

The second way we ensure equity in our on-street metered parking program is by providing a range of parking meter rates, including more affordable lower-cost options, in the major metered parking areas of the city through demandbased parking meter rates. Our goal is to have, on average, one or two available parking spaces per block face in metered areas of the city. To meet that goal, every six months we analyze the number of cars parked on each metered block and compare it to the approximate number of cars that could park at maximum capacity to know the occupancy rate of each block within the target area. We aim to make one or two parking spaces available on every block in metered areas, or between 75% and 85% occupancy. When the occupancy rate is below 75% on a particular block, we want to draw more parkers to that block, so we will lower the rate to attract more parkers. If the rate is higher than 85% in a particular block, there is not enough available parking in that block, so we increase the hourly rate by $.25 to encourage some parkers to look for a better deal elsewhere. If occupancy is in our target range - between 75% and 85% - the rate will not change. We increase or decrease rates slowly and incrementally. We only increase or decrease rates by $.25 and only every six months. By following this formula, we not only have more parking availability but also have a variety of price options in every major metered parking area of Baltimore.

Metered Parking for People with Disabilities

The third way we provide equity in our on-street metered parking program is through a program that we call Project Space, which reserves a significant number of on-street metered parking spaces throughout Baltimore for people with disabilities. Launched jointly with the Mayor’s Commission on Disabilities, vehicles parked in these parking spaces must display a disability placard or license plates with disability tags and must pay for parking. This program has helped people with disabilities find convenient on-street parking near their shopping, dining, and healthcare destinations, and it has helped to drastically reduce the number of disability parking placards stolen from City residents each year. It has also helped make more parking spaces available for everyone, including people with disabilities.

Equity for People with Disabilities

In addition to Project Space, we have several

other programs and initiatives that provide parking equity for people with disabilities.

Garage Improvements

Working closely with the Mayor’s Commission on Disabilities, we invested significantly in upgrades to Baltimore City-owned and/or PABC-operated garages and parking lots to meet or exceed Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines. These improvements, such as making sure the correct number of spaces are reserved for people with disabilities, that those spaces are close to elevators, and that ramps, doorways, and elevators meet ADA standards, set the mark for private parking facility operators throughout Baltimore City. Many other garages in Baltimore made similar improvements so now people with disabilities can park in off-street facilities close to wherever they want to go in popular areas in the city.

Residential Reserved Disabled Parking

Rowhomes are a large portion of Baltimore’s housing stock. Most of those rowhomes have no associated offstreet parking. PABC’s Residential Reserved Disabled Parking program allows residents with permanent mobility-restricting disabilities, and who have no off-street parking options at their residence, to have a reserved parking space installed on-street in front of their homes, thereby enabling them to access work, shopping, entertainment, and health appointments.

Website Accessibility

We have made our website accessible so people with visual impairments can get the information they need with a website reader. We removed busy infographics that could not be interpreted by e-readers and made hyperlinks more informative. As the City undergoes a new website upgrade, we will make further improvements to ensure that visually impaired readers (and everyone else) can easily find and get the information they need on our website.

Equity in Electric Vehicle Charging

As the market for electric vehicles continues to grow and we place EV charging stations on City-owned property or City right-of-way, our goal is to provide units equitably throughout Baltimore. We want all Baltimoreans to be able to conveniently access these charging stations, regardless of where they live or if

they have off-street parking. Therefore, we are requiring any entity operating EV charging stations on City-owned property or the public right-of-way to place at least 30% of their EV charging stations in “equity zones” which are defined as City census tracts in the lowest quartile (25%) of income. As electric vehicle ownership increases, we will be ready with the EV infrastructure in place throughout Baltimore City.

Equitable Transportation Investments

We know many Baltimore residents cannot afford to own a car and depend on alternative forms of transportation to get around. That is why we supported the emergence of a free shuttle service, support bicycle infrastructure, and car sharing. If we only supported the parking of personally owned, four-wheeled vehicles, we would be neglecting a large portion of Baltimore residents for whom car ownership is out of reach.

Supporting a Free Shuttle Service

To promote transit ridership, in 2010 Baltimore City launched a free bus service through several neighborhoods. Funded largely by parking revenues, the Charm City Circulator added a GPS tracking system in 2019 so riders can track where to catch one of the free shuttle buses on a smartphone app. The service reduces congestion and greenhouse gas emissions with eco-friendly buses running along 4 routes through the heart of Baltimore City. PABC was instrumental in identifying a sustainable revenue stream to make this possible.

Supporting Bicycling

The Parking Authority supports bicycle infrastructure, such as adjusting on-street parking to accommodate bike lanes wherever possible and adding bicycle parking on-street and off-street. When we converted hundreds of single-space parking meters to multispace parking meters in 2004, we worked with the Department of Transportation to leave some posts in place and converted them to bicycle parking. In 2007, we converted on-street parking spaces for cars into parking spaces for bicycles.

In 2009, we converted unused space within our Lexington Street Garage to a secure bicycle parking room. Holding 50 bicycles and a bicycle maintenance stand, bicyclists now had a safe space to leave and service their bikes during the workday, encouraging bicycle commuting.

Supporting Car Sharing

Supporting car sharing brings the convenience of driving to residents who cannot take on the financial burden of car payments, insurance, gas, and regular car maintenance. When we brought car sharing to Baltimore in 2010, we required Zipcar to place vehicles in neighborhoods where residents cannot afford to own their own vehicle. Many neighborhoods in Baltimore’s low-income neighborhoods often feel overlooked when it comes to citysupported amenities. We wanted everyone to benefit from what car sharing provides – easy and affordable access to a car without the financial burdens of vehicle ownership. To meet these equity requirements, Zipcar placed vehicles in food deserts and in low-income neighborhoods with low rates of vehicle ownership. Residents in these areas can now drive to doctor’s appointments, job interviews, grocery stores, or wherever they want to go, especially if it’s somewhere that transit does not go, or it would be inconvenient to carry bulky items.

Supporting Literacy in Baltimore City Public Schools

Since 2012, the Parking Authority has provided up to two hours per week to each team member to volunteer with Reading Partners Baltimore, a non-profit organization that trains and pairs adults with kindergarten through fourth grade students who are struggling to learn to read in participating Baltimore City Public Schools. Once a year, PABC hosts information sessions with Reading Partners to recruit more volunteers. We also host book drives at every Baltimore City-owned garage, collecting and distributing hundreds of age-appropriate books to Reading Partners Centers where they are given to students after each tutoring session.

More than 15 Parking Authority volunteers, many of whom have volunteered for multiple years, have delivered over 650 tutoring sessions in nine partner elementary schools.

Using an Equity Focus

By focusing on equity in all that we do, PABC works to ensure that our programs and the parking assets that we manage benefit everyone.

PETER LITTLE is the Executive Director of the Parking Authority of Baltimore City. He can be reached at peter. little@bcparking.com

AND COUNTING!

Pensacola Makes Waves with Flowbird’s Pay-by-Text Solution

Flowbird is thrilled to celebrate the success of the City of Pensacola and its remarkable milestone of 20,000 Pay-by-Text transactions! In just a few short months, the City clocked this impressive achievement by combining their efforts to implement convenient parking solutions for all customers while prioritizing effective communication to encourage adoption and compliance. With each seamless payment made, ParkPensacola is redefining convenience for the residents and visitors of this beautiful community.

In January of this year, the City of Pensacola worked with Flowbird to incorporate their innovative new Pay-by-Text solution. The City implemented this solution to complement their existing parking system, which includes Flowbird smart pay stations and the ParkPensacola Mobile Payment App, powered by the Flowbird Mobile App. Flowbird’s Pay-by-Text is an easy-to-use webbased solution allowing drivers to pay for their parking session directly from their phone without creating an account or downloading an app.

The solution offers the utmost convenience for users who prefer an alternative to downloading an app. Once parked, customers will find clear instructions on paying-by-text conveniently displayed on a sign at their chosen parking area. To begin, users simply text ParkPNS and their zone number to 727563. Within moments, they receive a secure link that leads them to input their parking details and payment information. Once submitted, users receive a confirmation text, officially starting their parking session and enabling them to continue their journey hassle-free. Parking enforcement personnel also receive this information to verify their compliance.

Flowbird’s Pay-by-Text solution is PCI-DSS certified. This provides parkers with the assurance that their data is protected. It is also encrypted once the parking session is complete and card data is not stored.

This integration by the City of Pensacola gives its customers an even more diverse array of payment options. There truly is something for everyone, including on-foot parking kiosks, the mobile payment app, and now Pay-by-Text. Offering multiple payment options helps motorists comply

with parking enforcement, reducing the number of citations. The Pay-by-Text solution delivers real-time parking utilization to City parking management staff where it is integrated with other payment methods. Using the combined data, parking staff can analyze comprehensive parking activity information, including parking activity by zone, date, time of day, and more, helping them make informed decisions for future parking plans.

“We are very excited about the success of Pay-by-Text in our community,” said Lissa Dees, Parking Director for City of Pensacola Parking Management, “The addition of this features gives our residents and visitors even more convenience when they park in our City.”

“Flowbird is thrilled to celebrate Pensacola’s remarkable achievement of reaching 20,000 Pay-by-Text transactions in just a few short months,” said Benoit Reliquet, President of Flowbird North America, “This milestone reflects the successful collaboration between the City and Flowbird in implementing convenient and innovative parking solutions that prioritize the needs of all customers.”

101 Transportation

What is Transportation Demand Management (TDM) & How Does it Support Cities’ Environmental & Equity Goals?

BY RACHEL ANTELMI

W hat is t ransportation

D eman D m anagement ( t D m )?

Why does it matter? How does it fit into the transportation ecosystem? As humans, we make choices every day. Get up or press snooze. Iced or hot. Pants or shorts. Among these daily decisions are how we choose to get around, and that matters. Do you drive across town to your doctor’s appointment or take the bus? Walk 20 minutes to work, or hop in a taxi? Our transportation choices can affect traffic and environmental trends and drive equity in our cities.

What is TDM?

TDM is a defined set of strategies aimed at maximizing traveler choice. According to Mobility Lab, TDM focuses on how people decide to move from A to B to C and how human behavior can be influenced to use existing infrastructure more efficiently and reduce single occupancy vehicle trips. TDM guides the demand for different transportation methods within a city’s operating system. A TDM plan offers a suite of transportation options that can encourage using modes other than personal vehicles, like public transit, walking, biking, carpooling, and car sharing. TDM measures can reduce vehicular congestion and increase mobility for all.

How Does it Work?

When a city enacts a TDM plan or ordinance, transportation-related requirements are put in place

TDM Options

for new developments. The requirements are generally based on the size or density of the development and the resulting vehicular traffic anticipated to be generated by the development’s residential or commercial population. A second factor that can influence TDM requirements is proximity to transit. A development in a transit-rich area may require fewer TDM measures compared to the same development in an area with a limited transportation supply or a transit desert. TDM Plans can also be applied to employers who then provide transportation guidance and incentives for employees.

Compliance with a TDM plan requires the adoption of TDM measures by the developer. TDM measures can consist of policies or programs - services, parking management, multimodal subsidies, or education - that support and expand the city’s transportation ecosystem.

Cost Savings

According to Mobility Lab, TDM is a cost-effective approach that guides the composition of a city’s transportation fabric and related infrastructure, with the goal of naturally encouraging people to use transportation options other than personal vehicles and creating an overall better-balanced transportation system.

TDM can mean cost savings for developers, too. To reduce vehicle miles traveled and drive-alone trips, TDM plans generally result in less required parking, and constructing parking infrastructure can cost developers tens of thousands of dollars. Fewer required parking spaces means developers save money or can allocate more of their budget to building more housing units. This is especially important in dense urban core areas facing affordable housing crises.

TDM & Shared Modes Support Environmental, Social, and Equity Goals

TDM measures are designed to reduce single occupancy vehicle trips by giving residents and visitors more mobility options, which can reduce traffic congestion, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and provide greater economic opportunity for people who don’t own a vehicle.

TDM plans are one of many opportunities for cities to enter public-private partnerships, where private companies can team up with cities to make a bigger and better impact in the transportation space. In working together with a city, we can better understand the challenges they’re facing and how we can contribute to building a solution.

In a partnership with the New York City Department of Transportation, Getaround is bringing on-street carshare vehicles to all five boroughs of the City, with about 50% of these cars located in the city’s defined “Equity Zones” made up of Priority Investment Areas that identify historically underserved communities throughout the city. Access to shared vehicles in low-income neighborhoods can offer new economic opportunities for residents.

A significant component of transportation equity is education and outreach. Where services and financial assistance are made available to those in need, through TDM or otherwise, eligible individuals must be made aware of the opportunity and understand how to use it to their benefit. A community outreach plan developed with a city partner can both educate community members on the transportation options available, as well as share information about discounts or credits for disadvantaged populations and those in need.

San Francisco Planning, Citywide TDM Program

San Francisco’s TDM Program applies to nearly all types of new development and projects resulting in large changes in use. The end result: more sustainable transportation options for building tenants, employees, residents, and visitors, which benefits not only the local neighborhood but the city as a whole. https://default. sfplanning.org/ transportation/ tdm/tdm_Menu_ Options-031518.pdf

IN PRACTICE

Car Sharing

Owning a car is expensive, from the initial upfront cost of purchasing a vehicle to standard maintenance, and cars are typically underutilized. New car prices recently topped an average of $47,000, while used cars average $27,000. Given the cost, many cannot afford to buy a personal vehicle, and for those who do make the purchase, their car is parked and unused for an average of 95% of each day. The car’s value depreciates over time while owners continue to incur loan payments, insurance premiums, and maintenance costs.

Car sharing provides expanded vehicle access to everyon— especially underrepresented and lower socioeconomic populations - without ownership. According to our data at Getaround, 55% of the transactions on our platform have been made on a debit card by users with little or no credit, 51% of hours booked have been in less affluent neighborhoods (neighborhoods having average annual household income below $70,000), and 34% of hours booked have been in lowdensity transportation deserts (neighborhoods with fewer than 10,000 people per square mile).

Leveraging Shared Modes and Expanding Access to Underserved Populations

Introducing shared modes of transportation can have a disproportionately positive impact on low-income communities. Shared modes provide people with access without ownership, making the occasional, or even regular, need for a vehicle, bicycle, or E-scooter affordable and accessible to individuals and families at most income levels.

Shared modes can also complement and increase the utility of existing public transportation options, like using a shared bicycle or scooter to get to the nearest bus stop or subway station. This can be particularly impactful for residents of transit deserts. This circumstance is not uncommon for lower-income populations, as proximity to transit is generally correlated with rent cost.

The City of Boston’s comprehensive transportation plan, Go Boston 2030, aims for every Bostonian to be within a 10-minute walk of public and shared modes like transit, bike share, and car share. This equity-focused goal would expand transportation options for all and ensure that transportation is not a barrier to accessing jobs and services. The city is making swift strides toward achieving this goal as 60% of all Boston residents in 2019 were within a 10-minute walk of a rail or key bus route,

BlueBikes station, and carshare compared with just 42% of residents in 2017.

By focusing on equitable transportation initiatives and shared modes through TDM and other avenues, underserved populations can gain access to the forms of transportation that are necessary to reach jobs and essential services in their cities.

Including TDM as Part of Your Work and Life

Finding your city’s implementers

Does your city have a Transportation Management Association (TMA) that administers TDM strategies? Does your city or state already have codified policies? Learning what programs already exist is the first step to implementing TDM. Go to your local transportation department’s web page and see what steps your city is taking to improve transportation efficiency, reduce congestion, and promote equitable and sustainable travel options.

Testing programs and ideas

There are many opportunities to pilot TDM programs and measures at commercial campuses, residential developments, universities, or entire cities - wherever optimizing traveler choices can benefit traffic, environment, or equity.

Developing policies

In 2021, the City of Boston launched a TDM plan to reduce driving and parking demand generated by new developments. The new policy applies to new buildings exceeding 50,000 gross square feet

and requires compliance with a transportation development review process. Boston’s TDM plan is complemented by new parking maximums in the city’s zoning code.

Implementing

If your place of work, residential complex, or city has adopted a TDM ordinance, then step one is to get informed. Learn about the incentives and benefits that might apply to you. You could be awarded a public transit subsidy for taking the commuter rail to work instead of driving or a free month of bike share for living without a personal vehicle.

TDM strategies, programs, and policies increase mobility options. A comprehensive selection of transportation options for a city’s residents and visitors means less congestion, better air quality, and a more equitable transportation network for all. Connect with your city’s implementers and drive transportation choices in your community. ◆

RACHEL ANTELMI is Government Partnerships Coordinator at Getaround. She can be reached at rachel.antelmi@ getaround.com.

IN PRACTICE Sonos

The speaker company, Sonos, is a great example of the effects of a larger city TDM ordinance at work. Sonos was aware of potential traffic impacts when it moved its employees’ offices to a new location in the downtown area of Santa Barbara. To meet the City’s site requirements for reducing driving commute trips, Sonos launched a commuter program called SmartRide, offering its employees the chance to earn a new bike by driving less. Supporting employees with transportation options and incentives contributes to equitable mobility.

You’ve got EV questions. We’ve got EV answers.

EV CHARGING TECHNOLOGY is just now becoming widely demanded, mandated, and adopted across the U.S. As a result, many facility owners and managers aren’t completely familiar with the details, specs, and requirements of implementing EVs at their facilities.

At the same time, they have reasonable concerns surrounding making a significant investment in EV charging infrastructure. They worry that the EV installation market is:

● Not yet mature.

● Fragmented.

● Full of jargon.

● A sea of sameness.

● Highly focused on software-enabled charging ports. Furthermore, EV marketing often loses track of the primary beneficiaries of the technology: EV drivers, the environment, and the client’s business. Thus, as Mark Hawkinson, President, ABM Technical Solutions, says, “Facility owners and managers are uncertain on the best path forward, what sort of investment to expect, and the ongoing costs and management requirements for maintaining the charging systems.”

Steering the EV rollout in the right direction

In December 2021, the Biden-Harris Administration unveiled its “EV Charging Action Plan” to outline steps federal agencies are taking to standardize, streamline and support the efforts to develop and deploy EV chargers in American communities across the country.

As part of that plan, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law includes $5 billion in funding for building a national EV charging network. “And there is not only the pressing need for increased EV charging infrastructure but also for consideration around the distribution and placement of such infrastructure,” says ABM’s Justin Halstead, Vice President, eMobility and Electrical Infrastructure.

Thus, the Biden Administration is laying the foundation for a nationwide network of EV charging infrastructure to provide a reliable, affordable, convenient, seamless user experience that is equitable and accessible for all Americans. As a result, EV charging stations are now being required across a variety of facilities and industries:

● Parking Structures – Commercial complexes, airports, shopping centers, hospitals, schools, and campuses.

● Governments & Municipalities – City, county, state, federal;

public access to charging at downtown parking and shopping, and as an employer, for EV fleets.

● Commercial & Industrial Buildings – Employer workplace locations and EV fleets.

● Large Entertainment Venues – Stadiums, theme parks, and concert venues.

● Mixed-Use Facilities – Multi-tenant/multi-family building owners will need to accommodate EV drivers.

● Public & Private Fleets – Electric buses and shuttles need access to efficient charging.

In short, if you’re a facility owner, the best time to start investing in EV charging infrastructure was yesterday. The next best time is right now.

Where we go (green) from here

Beyond convenience, EV chargers are also helping these facilities meet their green building initiatives and ESG goals, including improving air quality and reducing emissions. They also support our nation’s larger goals of creating a path to net-zero emissions by 2050 and positioning U.S. industries to lead these global efforts.

With over 28,000 installed EV charging ports, ABM is the leading commercial installer of EV chargers in the U.S. our experts are empowering operators to scale with EV demand and with a strategic, sustainable infrastructure investment.

Call for Presentations

Differentiate Yourself & Your Organization

Submit your presentation for the 2024 IPMI Parking & Mobility Conference & Expo.

Position yourself as a thought leader and share your expertise to move the industry forward.

Hawaii’s for Two-Tiered System

By Bryan K. Mick

IN 2016, A STUDY BY THE MASSACHUSETTS

INSPECTOR GENERAL estimated that disability parking permit misuse at parking meters was annually costing the City of Boston between $1 million and $3.6 million in lost revenue each year. On the opposite coast, a similar study concluded that the City and County of San Francisco was losing $22 million in annual parking meter fees to disability parking permit use, with a portion of that undoubtedly parking permit misuse.

Meanwhile, across the Pacific, the State of Hawaii’s Disability and Communication Access Board (DCAB) was studying this same issue and contemplating possible solutions. Hawaii had roughly 100,000 permittees, so it was likely that hundreds of thousands of dollars of lost revenue was occurring each year due to disability parking permit misuse. Fraud occurs in three ways. The first is by an applicant fraudulently filling out an application form. The most infamous case of this was in 1999 when 22 UCLA football players were caught using disability parking placards to park on campus after forging physician signatures. The second way is when a physician signs the form without conducting a thorough examination or by stretching the diagnosis to fit the eligibility criteria. A physician once

told DCAB, “My duty is to my patient, not the integrity of your program.” The third way is when a person uses a permit that was issued to someone else; in other words, they borrow or steal the permit.

The State of Hawaii addressed these issues by requiring the physician to certify a condition and a functional impact on the application form, requiring a $12 replacement fee if a placard was reported lost or confiscated for misuse, and reducing the number of long-term placards that could be issued to an applicant from two to one. But these measures had only a limited impact. DCAB reasoned that once an applicant fraudulently obtained a disability parking permit to avoid parking fees, they would likely use it to park illegally in reserved accessible parking spaces. This would occur especially in large parking lots where the proximity of a reserved accessible parking space to a building’s entrance would tempt them to use the permit. A survey of permittees revealed that the larger a parking lot, the harder it was to find an available, accessible parking space.

While the Hawaii Revised Statutes limits the parking meter fee exemption to 2.5 hours or the maximum time the meter allows, whichever is longer, it was easy to observe vehicles parked more than the time limitsoften all day, since there was sparse enforcement of the time limits. Those vehicles likely belonged to employees or residents of nearby offices and apartment buildings. Off-street parking in downtown Honolulu may cost up to $300 a month, so a strong financial incentive existed for misuse. The abuse of the time limit was likely more prevalent than the fraudulent use of a permit. An audit of the City and County of Honolulu’s bike share program revealed that several of the City’s on-street parking meters were only generating between 10%-20% of their projected maximum revenue. While some of that extreme shortfall was due to a space being unoccupied or because a vehicle had some sort of parking permit that waives the fee, disability parking permit abuse was a large contributing factor.

The states of Michigan, Illinois, Oregon, and Colorado previously implemented a tiered system of disability parking permits, where only a special placard

provided the dual benefit of allowing the permittee to park in a reserved accessible space or in a space where payment is required without payment of that fee. The underlying premise is that a parking fee exemption should be related to barrier removal, not a financial subsidy. To qualify, an applicant must have a disability that prevents the applicant from reaching or operating a parking meter, and the applicant must be able to drive themselves (otherwise, the other person in the vehicle can pay the fee). These states informed DCAB that only about 3% to 10% of their applicants qualified for the special placard. They continue to issue their other applicants disability parking permits that allow them to park a vehicle in a reserved accessible parking space.

DCAB decided that a two-tiered system would be suitable for Hawaii, and in 2018 a bill was introduced at the State Legislature to amend the state’s disability parking law, Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 291, Part III, Parking for Disabled Persons. This first attempt to amend the law failed. But it was a valuable exercise that allowed DCAB to learn what the public’s objections were and which elected officials required outreach and detailed dialogue. In advance of the following legislative session, DCAB refined its list of individuals and organizations that

HAWAII’S TWO-TIERED SYSTEM FOR DISABILITY PARKING

were willing to submit testimony in support of the legislation, including county transportation and parking enforcement departments. DCAB obtained confirmation from the State Department of the Attorney General that the new law would not run afoul of the Americans with Disabilities Act as some had alleged. The reintroduced bill passed the Legislature and was signed into law by Governor David Y. Ige on June 7, 2019.

The effective date of the amended law was set as July 1, 2021, to allow time for administrative rulemaking and procurement of a new green-colored placard, formally designated as the Disabled Paid Parking Exemption Permit (DPPEP). In addition to its green color (temporary placards are red, and long-term placards are blue), “DPPEP” is prominently displayed vertically on the placard. This is to assist parking enforcement personnel in low light situations and for those who are color blind. To qualify for the DPPEP, the applicant must possess a valid driver’s license and be certified by a Hawaii licensed physician or an advanced practice registered nurse that (1) the applicant has a qualifying mobility disability and (2) at least one of the following three conditions: (a) The applicant cannot reach above the applicant’s head to a height of 42 inches from the ground due to a lack of finger, hand, or upper extremity strength or mobility; (b) The applicant cannot approach a parking meter due to the use of a wheelchair or other mobility device; (c) The applicant cannot manage, manipulate, and insert coins, bills, or cards in a parking meter or pay station due to a lack of fine motor control in both hands.

This long delay in the effective date was fortuitous as the COVID-19 pandemic slowed these preparations down. DCAB successfully began issuing DPPEPs on July 1, 2021. Several efforts were made to inform the public. Information about the change was handed out with every disability parking permit issued. Every permittee who had an email on file with DCAB was contacted. DCAB’s Executive Director Kirby Shaw gave multiple interviews to local television and newspapers. And most directly, the parking enforcement agencies agreed to forgo issuing any citations for the first 45 days and instead placed warning flyers on vehicles displaying a disability parking permit at parking meters.

There were some negative reactions from permittees with legacy placards as they became aware of the change. Some permittees lamented the financial impact the new law would have on them, especially older people on a fixed income. But three specific geographical areas generated the bulk of the complaints. One was at Kapiolani Park, located across from Waikiki Beach. Many permittees would use the

metered spaces without payment and walk across the road to go surfing or swimming. There are only a few free public parking spaces along the beach park, including reserved accessible spaces. The second area was at Straub Hospital and Kaiser Permanente Medical Facility in Honolulu. While both facilities have large off-street parking lots, they charge for parking. So many permittees would park without payment in the metered spaces along King Street, which fronts both locations. Because King Street becomes a no-parking zone at 3:30 p.m., this had a secondary effect of pushing permittees to make their appointments in the morning. And the third area was a Kailua senior residential facility that the City and County of Honolulu had exempted from providing the required minimum number of off-street parking spaces under the theory that the residents would not own cars. The few spaces that were designated for residential parking were part of a larger metered public parking lot. It became clear that many residents had been using their disability parking permits to park without payment in the public metered spaces 24 hours a day. DCAB advised these residents to petition the City and County to convert some of the public parking spaces to paid residential parking. A second surge in negative public reaction occurred after the 45-day grace period expired and citations were issued. Parking enforcement attached the warning flyers to the citations so permittees would understand the reason for the citation. The flyers provided DCAB’s contact information.

In the 18 months since the law took effect, only 400 applicants have qualified for the DPPEP, representing roughly half of 1% of the total disability parking permits in use. The City and County of Honolulu, which has approximately 70% of the state’s population, reported parking meter revenue of $4.05 million in fiscal year 2021. The meter revenue increased to $5 million in fiscal year 2022, the first full year the DPPEPs were in use and the legacy placards no longer conferred a meter fee exemption.

DCAB encourages all states that currently provide free parking to instead implement a tiered system of disability parking permits. Please feel free to contact DCAB at dcab@ doh.hawaii.gov or (808) 586-8121 if you would like more information. Mahalo!

BRYAN K. MICK is Program & Policy Development Staff Coordinator for the State of Hawaii’s Disability and Communication Access Board. He can be reached at Bryan.Mick@doh.hawaii.gov

The Role of Transportation Planning in Combatting Homelessness

By Ravali Kosaraju, PE, PTOE

A

MERICA IS IN THE MIDST OF AN UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS CRISIS.

On any given night, more than 200,000 people sleep outside, in cars, in abandoned buildings, and under bridges. People experiencing unsheltered homelessness make up one of every three people experiencing homelessness, and they present significant public safety and public health challenges.

This trend has led several communities across the United States to implement permanent supportive housing programs, either as discrete municipal programs or in partnership with local agencies. Through these programs, people experiencing homelessness are provided homes, as well as medical, mental health, employment, and other services. According to one study reported by the University of California San Francisco, 86% of participants who are “randomized to this permanent supportive housing model were successfully housed and remained in their housing for several years.”

These programs offer great promise for helping both people experiencing homelessness and the communities in which they live. By providing homes to people with a history of extended homelessness, communities can provide a safer environment for people

The Role of Mobility Planning

All too often, however, community planners fail to consider the importance of mobility planning when implementing permanent supportive housing programs. Mobility has always been a challenge in helping people transition from homelessness. People who have recently experienced homelessness typically don’t have vehicles or access to vehicles and must rely on public transportation or walk to work and other destinations. Often, they find themselves in dangerous situations, having to cross busy streets to get to bus stops or other public transit resources. It’s no small issue; one study conducted by the Portland, Oregon Bureau of Transportation found that 70% of pedestrian deaths in 2021 were homeless community members. Other cities that track housing status also

So, what’s to be done? It’s essential to include mobility planning in any permanent supportive housing program. In addition to providing safe housing and employment opportunities for clients, it’s vital to offer safe, convenient, and accessible transportation options so clients can get to and from jobs, shopping, essential services, and entertainment activities.

Mobile Loaves and Fishes

Mobile Loaves and Fishes, a nonprofit organization based in Austin, Texas, provides a good example of this. The organization is developing a program called Community First Village that offers RV park homes and micro-homes in a planned community. Two of four phases have been completed, featuring 210 RV park homes, 330 micro-homes, and even some 3D-printed homes. It will provide residences to people with and without disabilities, and those residents will work and travel outside Community First Village. In fact, the third phase of the project revolves around traffic and mobility planning. Community First Village is located along Capital Metro Route 237, a busy four-lane roadway that residents use to get into town and back.

The mobility planning effort began with a traffic study of the section of Route 237 adjacent to the development with an eye toward pedestrian control strategies. The goal was to create a safe pedestrian environment for residents crossing Route 237 on foot. Unlike traditional traffic studies, it didn’t focus on current traffic patterns and needs. Instead, it looked at anticipated pedestrian requirements resulting from the influx of new residents within Community First Village. Usually, pedestrian control strategies are based on existing demand. However, Mobile Loaves and Fishes were working with Capital Metro to install a bus stop for residents to use, and it was essential to understand how traffic patterns would impact residents’ ability to cross the highway to access the bus stop. Capital Metro was willing to partner with Mobile Loaves and Fishes if there was a pedestrian treatment allowing residents to walk to and from the bus stop safely. The bus stop was a key to the success of Mobile Loaves and Fishes because most of the residents won’t have access to personal vehicles, so the traffic study was an essential element of the project’s planning.

Typically, when doing a traffic study for a new development, planners determine how many additional vehicle trips the development will create daily. Then developers are tasked with developing a traffic

mitigation plan to minimize the impact of the new development on area roadways. Typical mitigation strategies include widening roads and adding new lanes, adding traffic lights, and introducing traffic calming measures.

But the development of Community First Village was an entirely different type of development. It won’t introduce appreciable numbers of new vehicles and vehicle trips. It will, however, result in frequent pedestrian crossings from the community to the bus stop and back. So, understanding how many vehicles use the road each day and which hours are busiest was essential.

The results of the traffic study led to the installation of a comprehensive package of pedestrian-centric design elements, including Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs), traffic control devices that are designed to help pedestrians safely cross higher-speed roadways at midblock crossings and uncontrolled intersections. The RRFBs are activated by a pedestrian pushbutton which triggers the rapid flashing in a pattern that draws drivers’ attention to the crosswalk.

Typically, these pedestrian-centric strategies wouldn’t be installed before residents moved into a complex like this because city planners would prefer to know from experience exactly what measures are required. However, it was essential to the village’s success that the bus stop be installed and operational on day one,

so planners had to base their plan on anticipated needs. It took a leap of faith on the part of the County to accept the pedestrian safety plan and the anticipated utilization numbers on which it was based. However, County leaders supported the mission of Community First Village, and they were a strong and supportive partner in this process.

A Model for Success

The traffic and pedestrian planning process undertaken by Mobile Loaves and Fishes and their mobility planning partners should serve as a model for other agencies engaged in creating permanent supportive housing programs. Mobility is an essential element of any program, and when helping people transition from homelessness, it’s important to focus on pedestrian mobility and alternative transportation. As in the case of Community First Village, this requires the pedestrian mitigation process to be built around future needs rather than current requirements. It can be challenging to get local government agencies to pursue this unusual approach, but it’s absolutely essential.

RAVALI KOSARAJU, PE, PTOE, is the Director of Mobility for WGI and a member of IPMI’s Sustainable Mobility Task Force. She can be reached at ravali.kosaraju@wginc.com

Celebrating Distinction

IPMI announces our newest CAPP-certified professionals, who exemplify parking and mobility knowledge and excellence.

CAPP Certification is recognized worldwide as the leading credential in parking and mobility–so it is no small feat for a professional in our industry to achieve this level of distinction. CAPPs represent the best of our industry, advancing the profession and leading with innovation, professionalism, and expertise. By successfully obtaining their CAPP certification, they have demonstrated a high level of knowledge and experience that sets them apart from their counterparts.

Let’s celebrate these extraordinary parking and mobility professionals!

Many of the newest CAPPs were recognized on stage at the #IPMI2023 Parking & Mobility Conference & Expo in Fort Worth, Texas, in June 2023, and we are pleased to present them here. Please join us in congratulating them!

“IPMI celebrates this most recent group of industry leaders. CAPP recipients advance our community through their expertise, innovation, and leadership. These accomplished individuals represent the height of professionalism and the best our industry offers. Their willingness to give back to the profession is what keeps parking and mobility moving forward.”

—Shawn D. Conrad, CAE, IPMI CEO

Stefanie Bell, CAPP, Assistant General Manager, LAZ Parking

Adam Braddock, CAPP, Senior Implementation Manager, FLASH Parking Vincent Campagna, CAPP, Airport Parking Manager, Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport

JoAnn Crolli, CAPP, Business Specialist, City of Las Vegas Parking Services

Rob DeMayo, CAPP, CAFM, Director of Transportation Services, The Pennsylvania State University

Matthew Edmond, CAPP, Parking & Mobility Advisor, Capital City Development Corp.

Meredith A. Garrett, CAPP, MPA, Systems Specialist Kent State University

Douglas W. Hausladen, CAPP, Executive Director, New Haven Parking Authority

Marlin Jackson, CAPP, Director of Operations, LAZ Parking

Geoffrey Alan Posluszny, CAPP, Consultant, Walker Consultants

S. Maria Tamayo-Soto, CAPP, Parking Services Administrator, City of Las Vegas Parking Services

William N. MacDonald, CAPP, Director of Parking & Ground Transportation Systems, City and County of Denver Department of Aviation

Kevin McClain, CAPP, Manager, Philadelphia Parking Authority

James F. McDyre, CAPP, MPA, Transportation Services Office Manager and Permit Allocation Manager, The Pennsylvania State University

Michael McKiness, CAPP, General Manager, Parking Concepts, Inc.

Stephanie C. Nelson, CAPP, Senior Manager, Commercial Revenue Development— Parking & eCommerce, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

Ephrem B. Tefera, CAPP, Director of Parking Services, Stony Brook University

Oswaldo Albert Tosado, CAPP, Enforcement Supervisor, Allentown Parking Authority

Lynn Wiggs, CAPP, Assistant Director, Texas A&M University—College Station

Ajaleigh Williams, CAPP, Program Manager, Winnipeg Parking Authority

Achieving Excellence

Parking, Transportation, and Mobility Organizations Achieve Top Industry Accreditation

The International Parking & Mobility Institute (IPMI) is pleased to recognize parking organizations that have achieved Accredited Parking Organization (APO) certification, earned the more stringent APO with Distinction, or re-accredited their APO.

APO certification recognizes organizations and operations that have achieved a comprehensive standard of excellence. APO recognizes best practices in responsible parking management and operations, customer service, professional development, sustainability, security, access management, and more. It is administered and awarded by IPMI and an independent APO Board.

“Achieving APO certification is our industry’s top benchmark of success, and it follows a comprehensive documentation and review process. Only best-of-class

organizations can meet the demanding level of excellence required to gain accreditation,” explained Shawn D. Conrad, CAE, CEO of IPMI. “Parking at an accredited facility or operation assures the public that the parking organization adheres to a strict code of ethics and meets national and internationally endorsed standards for professionalism, accountability, responsibility, and performance. These organizations represent the top tier of service and performance in the parking and mobility sector and set the bar for all others to follow.”

APOs follow a stringent process to demonstrate commitment to ongoing evaluation and improvement of program outcomes by implementing industry best practices. Applicant organizations work with third-party reviewers to organize and present evidence of accomplishment of 250 criteria in 14 categories related to industry best practices. APO with Distinction requires an additional set of criteria to be met.

The APO accreditation was developed to be applicable to institutional, municipal, medical, university, airport, private, and other parking programs. Organizations must re-certify every three years to maintain the designation. This year’s APOs were recognized in June at the 2023 IPMI Parking & Mobility Conference & Expo in Fort Worth, Texas. They are:

New APOs and APOs with Distinction

Bethlehem Parking Authority

Bethlehem, PA APO

Missoula Parking Authority APO

University of California, Davis APO

Virginia Commonwealth University APO with Distinction

University of Southern California APO with Distinction

Reaccredited APOs and APOs with Distinction:

City of Virginia Beach, Virginia, APO

Accredited in 2017, Re-Accredited in 2023

Lexington & Fayette County Parking Authority/LEXPARK, APO with Distinction

Accredited in 2017, Re-Accredited in 2023

Parking Authority of River City, APO with Distinction

Accredited in 2020, Re-Accredited in 2022

Pittsburgh Parking Authority, APO with Distinction

Accredited in 2017, Re-Accredited in 2023

Secure Parking UAE, APO with Distinction Accredited in 2020, Re-Accredited in 2022

SP+, APO with Distinction

Accredited in 2016, Re-Accredited in 2022

Texas A&M University Transportation Services, APO with Distinction

Accredited in 2017, Re-Accredited in 2023

University of Florida Shands Hospital

Parking & Transportation, APO

Accredited in 2020, Re-Accredited in 2022

University at Buffalo, APO with Distinction

Accredited in 2020, Re-Accredited in 2022

University of Mississippi, APO

Accredited in 2020, Re-Accredited in 2022

Parking organizations interested in becoming APOs can download information, including the APO Manual for Applicants, at parking-mobility.org/apo. For more information, contact apo@parking-mobility.org.

Click here to find out why Diana earned her CAPP and how it's impacted her career.

Diana Alarcon, CAPP Director, Transportation & Multimodal Infrastructure Nashville Department of Transportation

JULY 25–SEPTEMBER 11

Call for Presentations Open Call for Content Open

AUGUST 15

Free Virtual Frontline Training

The Benefits of Understanding the Parking Lifecycle

SEPTEMBER 7

Free Member Chat Awards

SEPTEMBER 13

IPMI Webinar

EV Readiness: Develop & Execute an Effective Plan in your Parking Operation

SEPTEMBER 19, 21, 26, 28

Online, Instructor-Led Course Parksmart Advisor Training

SEPTEMBER 20

Free Virtual Shoptalk University Shoptalk: Guiding Your Team to Serve Your Patrons

OCTOBER 5

Free Member Chat CAPP

OCTOBER 10

Free Virtual Frontline Training

Implementing License Plate Recognition on Campus

OCTOBER 17

Online, Instructor-Led Course Accredited Parking Organization (APO) Site Reviewer Renewal Training

OCTOBER 18

Free IPMI Municipal Member Roundtable Virtual Roundtable limited to members from cities and municipalities.

OCTOBER 19

Free Member Chat New Members

OCTOBER 23

Virtual Symposium

Accessibility & Transportation Equity

NOVEMBER 2

Free Member Chat

APO

NOVEMBER 8

IPMI Webinar

How Parking fits with Transportation: Path to Greater Mobility in Nashville

NOVEMBER 15

Free Virtual Shoptalk

Airport Shoptalk: Operating Large-Scale Airport Operations

DECEMBER 12

Free Virtual Frontline Training

Procurement—Best Practices & Lessons Learned

FEBRUARY 28 - MARCH 1

2024 Leadership Summit Atlantic Beach, FL

JUNE 9-11

2024 IPMI Parking & Mobility Conference & Expo Columbus, OH

Stay up to date on industry events and activities! Visit parking-mobility.org/ calendar for the latest updates and additions.

State and Regional Events Calendar

SEPTEMBER 6–8

Pacific Intermountain Parking & Transportation Association (PIPTA) Annual Conference & Expo Seattle, WA

SEPTEMBER 19–22

Carolinas Parking & Mobility Association (CPMA)

Annual Conference & Expo Myrtle Beach, SC

OCTOBER 1–4

Campus Parking and Transportation Association (CPTA) Annual Conference Columbus, OH

OCTOBER 23–25

Southwest Parking & Transportation Association (SWPTA) Annual Conference

Las Vegas, NV

NOVEMBER 7–9

California Mobility and Parking Association (CMPA) Annual Conference & Tradeshow

San Jose, CA

Save e date!