
“It is estimated that about 30 percent of
the cars circling a city at any given time are doing so as drivers look for
parking. Aside from the frustration factor, those cars are creating traffic
congestion, viewed by survey respondents as being the single most significant
societal change affecting the parking industry. From an environmental
standpoint, that translates to incalculable amounts of wasted fuel and carbon
emissions.” This is from the International Parking Institute (IPI) 2012
Emerging Trends in Parking Study.
“Congestion and parking are also
interrelated since looking for a parking space (called "cruising")
creates additional delays and impairs local circulation. In central areas of
large cities, cruising may account for more than 10% of the local circulation
as drivers can spend 20 minutes looking for a parking spot.“ This is from Dr.
Jean-Paul Rodrigue of Hofstra University’s Department of Global Studies and
Geography.
The causes of traffic congestion (or
“traffic jams”) tend to be complex, but they all come down to having too many
cars on the same streets at the same time. Recurring traffic congestion is most
frequently the result of roadways having insufficient capacity for the volume
of cars…too many cars or too little road. Alternatively, accidents, breakdowns,
construction and other events that randomly restrict traffic flow are the
typical cause of non-recurring traffic jams.
A lack of parking is not the sole reason
for traffic congestion; it is, however, a major contributing factor. Drivers
looking for free or low-cost on-street parking may bypass off-street parking
simply to save money…and contribute to traffic congestion. Off-street parking
located too far away from shopping or retail businesses may also cause drivers
to circle in search of parking that is more convenient.
Casey Jones, chairman of the (IPI), is
quoted as saying, "If we can cut the time it takes drivers to find a
parking spot by even a fraction, the difference in our carbon footprint is
meaningful. And, that's what many new technologies are making possible."
We agree. Minimizing unnecessary circling
or driving is good for everyone and aids sustainability. Distributing parking… placing
smaller facilities closer to more popular destinations… is one potential method
for minimize circling and its contribution to recurring traffic jams. Automated
parking systems (APS) are ideal for putting parking spaces in small or
otherwise unusable areas closer to retail or high-volume destinations.
See how easy, profitable and congestion
reducing it can be to install more parking spaces in the right place with APS.
Call Skyline.
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