Progressive
Curb space has value - the industry has monetized it for decades to manage parking demand and generate revenue for street owners. With new competing demands, this space has dramatically risen in value over the past five - ten years. In parallel, technology has advanced, providing tools to curb space owners to manage and enforce compliance in this space in real-time. Curb space owners can now prioritize curb space with regulatory measures or pricing strategies, using variable pricing to implement mode and parking prioritization strategies.
World class programs develop and apply pricing strategies to regulate curb space access, with strategies reflecting the entity’s values and priorities. The strategies vary by time of day using real time demand data by location, and mode to align with their values and priorities.
Pricing Prioritization
As entities mature from traditional parking programs to progressive curbside management programs, few entities are equipped to move forward without resource support. The evolution for each of these 20+ elements requires desire, funding, leadership support, and manpower. Recognizing this need and supplementing entity resources is a sign of a progressive program.
World class entities have planned procurement of resources based on the capabilities and limitations of the entity. The resources assist the entity in creating or sustaining a progressive curbside management system and tie to our jurisdiction’s sustainability goals.
Resource Support
The scope of data required for managing curb space is evolving, and is the foundation for decision-making. This element addresses three important uses of data: inventory, analysis, and real-time space reservation / pricing / prioritization. The success or failure of a curb space inventory is the quality of the system in place to ensure the inventory and associated attributes are accurate and updated as change occurs at the curb. Progressive entities are tying field work orders back to their asset management systems and curb space inventory software.
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The wide range of new curbside management performance measures require data beyond turnover rates, occupancy, and revenue. The productivity of the curb space - dwell / docking time, person movement, and many other measures - requires extensive data interoperability and quality control.
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As covered in other elements, real-time reservation, pricing, and prioritization represent progressive functions of a progressive program and require accurate and timely data. Progressive entities possess an accurate curbside inventory that is timely and interoperable on a limited basis.
World class entities have an enterprise-level solution for data quality assurance where data are complete, timely, accurate, consistent, and fully interoperable between systems.
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Data Quality/ interoperability
Parking authorities have been benefiting from advancements in payment methods for the past 20 years, reducing individual meters, cash payments, and improving the streetscape with less clutter. These advancements have reduced the need for cash collections and increased financial accuracy and accountability. Deployment of pay-by-cell methods have been well received as a convenience, but more importantly have helped the special needs community that have mobility challenges.
With the movement towards various docking vehicles versus parking motor vehicles, our industry is again addressing payment methods in a creative way that benefits the curb user and owner.
World class entities use payment meters or stations, pay by phone, reservations using block chain technology for their curbside for implementing modal priorities, real-time pricing, and other management tactics.