APPLICATION OF GIS TO A PARKING STUDY IN NEWTON

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APPLICATION OF GIS TO A PARKING STUDY IN NEWTON
November 16, 2009

• Sponsoring Agency City of Newton Department of
  Public Works
  Engineering Division
• Project Advisors Theodore Crusberg and Michelle
  Ephraim
• On-Site Liaison Roy Lamotte

Presented by Ricardo Kligman Ryan McDevitt Todd
Withee
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GOALS

• Assess current parking situation in Newton Centre
• Develop a plan for the implementation of a
  GIS-based parking management system

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WHAT IS A GIS?(Geographic Information System)

• Organizes and retains data in spatial object
  database
• Graphically displays multiple data sets

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NEWTONS FEATURES THAT ENCOURAGE A GIS-BASED
PARKING STUDY

• Award winning GIS
• Ideal city layout (village centers)

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EXPERIMENTAL CASE STUDY

• Village of Newton Centre
• Competing residential, commercial, and commuting
  interests for parking availability

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NEWTON CENTRE

• Village commercial core
• Residential perimeter
• MBTA subway stop

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PROCEDURE

• Inventory current parking resources
• Conduct a turnover study
• Collect business type data
• Perform analysis

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INVENTORY OF CURRENT PARKING RESOURCE

• Generate GIS map layer

• Collect parking attributes (1065 spaces)
• Input data into database

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CONDUCT A TURN OVER STUDY

• Select a suitable study area
• Choose appropriate days
• Perform study
• Input data into database

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ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

• Parking deficiency in Newton Centre
• Misuse of long term space
• Meter feeding
• Parking user characteristics
• Parking spillover into residential areas
• Evaluation of previous parking studies

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PARKING DEFICIENCY IN NEWTON CENTRE

• Peak demand at lunch time

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MISUSE OF LONG-TERM PARKING SPACES

• Cars parked in long term spaces for less than
  three hours
• 57 occurrences of misuse

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METER FEEDING

• 61 occurrences of meter feeding

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PARKING USER CHARACTERISTICS

• By 800 am 30 cars were parked in long term
  parking spaces for more than 8 hours
• 50 of long term spaces were occupied by cars
  exhibiting characteristics of commuting vehicles

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PARKING SPILLOVER

• No spillover before 900 am
• Low utilization (45 max.)

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RECOMMENDATIONS

• Create minimum time parking meters in long-term
  parking lots
• Determine balance of meter time regulations
• Install new parking meters where appropriate

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COMPARISON OF GIS-BASED STUDY TO TRADITIONAL
STUDIES

• Similar methodology for data collection
• Aesthetically displayed results
• GIS allows greater manipulation of analysis scope

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GIS-BASED PARKING MANAGEMENT
ADVANTAGES
DISADVANTAGES

• Clerically updatable
• Decreases labor
• Facilitates future studies
• Potential long term savings

• Initial commitment
• Requires technical skills
• Redirection of city official efforts

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PROPOSAL FOR A GIS-BASED PARKING MANAGEMENT
PROGRAM FOR THE CITY OF NEWTON

• Prepare of engineering division
• Perform GIS-based analysis
• Incorporate conclusions into long term planning

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CONCLUSIONS

• City of Newton could benefit from a GIS-based
  parking management system
• GIS provides improvements over previous
  contracted studies
• Newton is prepared for a transition to GIS-based
  parking management system
• By following our proposal the city can implement
  a successful GIS-based management system

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• Special thanks to the City of Newton, our liaison
  Roy Lamotte and our advisors Fabio Carrera, Ted
  Crusberg, and Michelle Ephraim.

QUESTIONS ?