What's a space worth?
By Sean - Sun, 07/20/2008 - 8:12pm.
City Councilor John Tobin wants to make it easier for people to park, by installing meters that accept payment-by-cellphone. Fine, but double the meter rates at the same time. The scheme just points out how valuable the spaces are, and it will offset the inevitable decrease in parking fines.
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Does Councilor Tobin even have any meters in his district?
I know there isn't a single meter in the West Roxbury end of his district. Any in JP?
Yes
There's an off-street public lot with metered spots on Centre Street, behind Costello's and the like.
Don't think so
Unless things have changed since a few weeks ago, there aren't meters in those spaces. Did they just put them in?
Meter prices vs Lot prices
Maybe it's just me, but shouldn't meter rates be HIGHER than parking lot or garage rates? After all, meters are more convenient, and usually closer to the destination. Not a popular idea, and would never fly in Boston, but just a thought.....
Bob
Couldn't agree more
Great point.
I think what people forget
I think what people forget sometimes is that meter spots are not designed for people to park in for long periods of time. Theres a reason why they run out every two hours, and thats because they are designed for people to get to their shopping/restaurant destination and then leave within a few hours. People will not spend two dollars to park for a few minutes to pick up something at the bakery. Thats also why many meters top out at two hours, seems to be about as long as you would spend eating at a restaurant followed by a cup of coffee.
The real problem is getting people who park in metered spaces for 8 hours at a time and feed the meter while they are at work. Thats where you need to crack down.
Turnover and turnovers
The bakery example is an interesting one. If meter rates are too low, there is little parking space turnover. As you've noted, there are lots of people willing to feed the meter for eight hours if it's cheap enough.
If you raise the meter rates, you get turnover. People won't camp in the spaces because it's too expensive. Price the meters just right, and there'll be a space open in front of or near the bakery all the time.
So, what's better for the person who wants to pop into the bakery? No spaces at all? Or one or two spaces that will cost a dollar or two?
Local Traffic, Local Business
An additional input to Sean's system: at what point to people give up on local businesses because of the price of street parking and drive to a sprawlmall with free parking?
In Lowell, I was appalled when they jacked up the price of metered spaces because it is so easy to drive to a boxmall and park for free. What were they thinking? They were thinking that the city had walls and people would pay what it cost and not leave town to buy stuff ... if they even considered that possibility. Way to kill your struggling downtown!
Arlington is also a mystery: free street parking that is always a mess and abused by some local businesses for full-day use, with pay-to-park lots located a less convenient distance away. One would think that they would put meters on the street to encourage turnover, and make the remote lot free? They also charge businesses for sticker rights to use a series of spaces near the bike path, and then fail to enforce the restrictions on the condo residents and long-time locals who think they have free unrestricted access to use them.
two purposes
Sounds like metered street parking is for two purposes, encourage turnover to make the parking available for as many people as possible at a reasonable cost, collect some cash for the guvmint but not price the parking high enough to drive folks away from local small business to the big-box shopping plaza.
Exactly, why would I go to
Exactly, why would I go to the busy downtown(or downtownish) area to buy something if I hit traffic along the way, and have to pay an unreasonable sum to park as well. Also keeping in mind that the price will be higher for the product because it is in the city.
I just had an idea. Raise the prices on ALL meters that have access to a phone/credit card system and then give people who use their credit card/cell phone a break on 0-15 minutes then jack it up a little more for 15-30 then full price from there on in. Since it is on your cellphone/credit card they will be able to track it and know its you. That can help increase turnover but not discourage patronage of local businesses.
"The real problem is getting
"The real problem is getting people who park in metered spaces for 8 hours at a time and feed the meter while they are at work. Thats where you need to crack down."
um, they ticket people who overstay the 2 hour limit, even when the meter is filled after 2 hours. It is the lamest way to get a parking ticket, imo