TRANSPORTATION. 'lijec (p 4, fot. Rita L. Robinson, General Manager Department of Transportation ?'JM CITY OF LOS ANGELES. DATE: December 3, 2008

Transcription

1 FORM GEN. 160 (Rev. 6-80) CITY OF LOS ANGELES INTER-DEPARTMENTAL CORRESPONDENCE DATE: TO: Honorable Members of the City Council clo City Clerk, Room 395 City Hall Attention: Honorable Wendy Greuel, Transportation Committee FROM: fot. Rita L. Robinson, General Manager Department of Transportation SUBJECT: PARKING METER TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM UPDATE (CF ) The Los Angeles Department of Transportation (DOT) is providing this report as an update of our progress and continued efforts to deploy new parking technology to improve the functionality, operability, accountability, and revenue of the City's parking meter system. RECOMMENDATION That the Council NOTE and FILE this report, inasmuch as the report is submitted for information only and no Council action is required. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Since December 2007, the Department has been deploying new parking meter technology, which is providing more reliable and convenient service to the public and has improved the effectiveness of the City's metered parking. DOT completed the conversion and upgrade of 30 metered parking lots to new Park & Pay Stations in June 2008, improving revenue by an average of 19%. The on-street pay station installations are now 84% complete and are on schedule to be completed by the end of this month. Once completed, the City will operate approximately 440 pay stations serving about 3,000 on- and off-street spaces, or about 7.5% of the City's 40,000 metered spaces. This deployment includes both the original 5% and the additional 3% approved as part of the Fiscal Year Budget to address areas with the highest rates. DOT has launched an extensive Park & Pay public outreach program, and public response to the pay stations has been overwhelmingly positive. Credit card payments now account for approximately 40% of all pay station revenue, and some on-street pay stations are experiencing up to 80% credit card use. The pay stations' real-time communication has improved the effectiveness of all aspects of parking meter management, including the ability to achieve an average uptime of over 99% during the last two months. DOT has also been upgrading 4,000, or 10%, of the City's highest demand single-space meters with more reliable and vandal-resistant meters, as well as with high-security housings and electronic locks. This effort is approximately 80% complete and is on schedule to be completed by the end of this month. The new meters also accept dollar coins, providing the public a way to reduce the number of coins needed to pay for parkinq. TRANSPORTATION 'lijec (p 4,?'JM

2 Council File S While DOT originally projected completing the on-street technology deployments earlier in 2008, the equipment installations were postponed to coincide with the implementation of new rates and hours approved in May 2008 by the City Council as part of the Fiscal Year Budget. The new parking meter rates, which now range from $1 to $4 per hour, became effective in September 2008, and the Department has been working diligently to implement these important changes over an aggressive schedule. The implementation of the new parking meter rates and hours of operation is currently 80% complete and is on schedule to be completed by the end of the month. The posting of revised time limit signs that match the new meter hours will continue through January Based on the initial revenue increases seen thus far, DOT anticipates that, once the new rates and hours have been fully implemented, the City will experience a total parking meter revenue increase of 75 to 80%. With the technology installations nearing completion, DOT is preparing to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) for Citywide parking meter replacement by January 31, The RFP will include comprehensive parking management elements based on the knowledge gained from the initial deployments of new parking technology. A former City employee has been hired on a 90-day contract to expedite this process. DOT is also planning to issue an additional RFP in March 2009, subject to Council approval, for the Downtown Intelligent Parking Management (IPM) Project. The Downtown IPM Project will utilize vehicle sensors and a real-time parking guidance system to optimize the utilization of public on- and off-street parking in the Downtown Los Angeles Area, thus reducing the significant traffic congestion and pollution associated with drivers searching for parking. The project is budgeted at $18.5 million with $15.0 million from the LACMTA Congestion Reduction Demo Initiative (USDOT Grant) and the balance projected from the Special Parking Revenue Fund (SPRF). BACKGROUND DOT has been installing new parking meter equipment, as detailed in the Transportation Committee Report dated September 19, The aforementioned report described the installation plan as follows: "The Department has developed a revised initial deployment plan to replace ten percent (10%) of the City's existing single-space meters with advanced single-space meters. The plan also includes replacing another five percent (5%) of the City's on- and off-street existing single-space meters with multi-space meters as a continuation of the multi-space meter pilot program." Subsequently, as part of the City Budget for Fiscal Year , the City Council approved the expansion of meter hours of operation and the replacement of up to an additional three percent (3%) of the City's single-space parking meters to accommodate the higher hourly rates in the City's high density on-street parking areas. Consistent with this budget, on July 15, 2008, the City Council passed an ordinance authorizing a comprehensive parking meter rate adjustment program, which doubled meter rates and set a minimum $1.00 per hour rate. After the publishing period, the new parking meter rates became effective on Sunday, August 31,2008.

3 Council File S DISCUSSION Off-Street Lot Pay Station Deployment (100% Complete) As described in DOT's September 2007 report, the expanded pay station pilot began with the conversion and upgrade of the following 30 metered parking lots: Lot 614: 728 S. Cochran Ave. Lot 682: 318 N. Breed st. Lot 627: Magnolia Blvd. Lot 684: 460 W. 7th St. Lot 628: 2418 Daly St. Lot 685: 2386 Malcolm Ave. Lot 642: 1421 S. Wooster St. Lot 688: 1156 Clark Dr. Lot 643: 1147 Echo Park Ave. Lot 689: 8866 Pico Blvd. Lot 645: 1540 Purdue Ave. Lot 694: 209 N. Larchmont Blvd. Lot 651: 1516 Barry Ave. Lot 698: 2367 Prosser Ave. Lot 653: 1547 Corinth Ave. Lot 705: W. Costanso St. Lot 655: Idaho Ave. Lot 707: 2377 Midvale Ave. Lot 656: 1615 Colby Ave. Lot 715: 2371 Overland Ave. Lot 659: 2334 Daly St. Lot 735: 396 W. 6 th St. Lot 660: 154 Avenue 24 Lot 740: 301 S. Main St. Lot 671: 672 S. Detroit St. Lot 744: 8463 S. Vermont Ave. Lot 675: 4642 Russell Ave. Lot 756: 139 S. George BUrns Rd. Lot 681: Sunset Blvd. Lot 799: Ventura Blvd. (Note: Lot 656 was substituted for Lot 651 at 1611 Beloit Ave., which had originally been included in the 30 selected lots.) In December 2007, the first pay stations were activated at a press conference in Lot 627 in North Hollywood. Although the off-street program was originally scheduled for completion in February 2008, DOT found that many of the parking lots required significant improvements and subsequently developed a revised schedule to complete the installations by June As a result of the redesign for pay stations, many lots were upgraded with a new slurry seal and new paint among other improvements. DOT completed the conversion of all 30 lots in June 2008, with the installation of 59 pay stations serving approximately 1,100 spaces. As part of the later on-street pay station installations, the following two additional lots were equipped with pay stations, bringing the total to 32 lots with 63 pay stations: Lot 748: Santa Monica Blvd. (new lot transferred from Bureau of Engineering) Lot 761: 1610 Pacific Ave. (formerly considered on-street parking) On-Street Parking Meter and Pay Station Deployment (80% Complete) DOT's upgrade of on-street parking meters began in September 2007 with the installation of high-security meter housings, which continued through the first part of Also during this time, the Department installed high-security electronic revenue locks for all collection subzones containing upgraded meters. However, the installation of new single-space meter mechanisms and most of the on-street pay stations was postponed to coincide with the implementation of the new rates and hours. This approach avoided the duplication of work associated with changing meters and then returning to reprogram them and expedited the technicians' implementation of the rates and hours changes.

4 Council File S1-4- The program to upgrade 4,000 single-space meters, or approximately 10% of the City's onstreet parking meters, in the highest demand areas is approximately 80% complete. The program is on schedule to be completed by the end of this month with the rates and hours changes in these areas. In DOT's previous report dated September 19, 2007, the following locations were identified: u twenty (20) Parking Meter Zones (PMZs) in the City will be partially or completely upgraded with new single- and/or multi-space meters as a replacement for the existing on-street parking meters. The selected PMZs are listed below in alphabetical order: Brentwood Village Silver Lake Central Business District Studio City Chinatown Tarzana Encino USC-Coliseum Hollywood-Vine Van Nuys Larchmont Venice Little Tokyo Westwood-Santa Monica Miracle Mile Westwood Village Pacific Palisades Wilshire-Fairfax San Pedro Wilshire-Western In addition to these areas, the following PMZs were subsequently added to the initial deployment and were partially or completely upgraded as a result of the 3% expansion: Brentwood-San Vicente Civic Center Robertson-Alden Washington-Pacific Within these areas, DOT has been installing on-street pay stations in the following ten locations: previously identified in the September 2007 report [and since modified as noted]: Brentwood Village: vicinity of Sunset Blvd. & Barrington Ave. Downtown: Figueroa and Flower Streets from 4h Sf. to Olympic Blvd. (selected blocks) Hollywood: Hollywood Blvd. from La Brea Ave. to [Vine Street] Larchmont Village: Larchmont Blvd. from t" Sf. to Beverly Blvd. Santa Monica Blvd. Transit Parkway: Sepulveda Blvd. to Avenue of the Stars (reinstallation of authorized meters following street reconfiguration and construction) Studio City: Ventura Blvd. from Whitsett Ave. to Laurel Canyon Blvd. Sunset Junction: Sunset Blvd. from Santa Monica Blvd. to Micheltorena St. University Park: Jefferson Blvd. from Vermont Ave. to Figueroa Sf. Venice: [Main/Rose, PacificIWindward, and Washington/Pacific areas] Westwood Village: Westwood Blvd, [Broxton Ave, Weyburn Ave, and Lindbrook Drive] (selected blocks)

5 Council File S In addition to these areas, single-space meters were replaced with pay stations in the 2-hour parking areas of following Downtown locations with $3 or $4 per hour rates: Fashion District: Los Angeles, Santee, and Maple from 7 th to 12th Streets (selected blocks) Bunker Hill: Hope, Grand, and Olive from 2 nd to 4th Streets (selected blocks) Cathedral/Court Area: Hill Street between Hill Street and Cesar Chavez Avenue. As of this date, the installation and activation of pay stations on the street is 84% complete and is on schedule to be completed by the end of this month. Once completed, the City will operate approximately 380 on-street pay stations serving about 2,000 spaces, or 5% of the City's metered spaces. Early Pay Station Pilot Results At this early stage of the pay station pilot, DOT has realized some noteworthy preliminary benefits. As a result of DOT's Park & Pay public outreach efforts, public response to the pay stations has been overwhelmingly positive. DOT has worked with Council Offices and business associations and has delivered brochures and information sheets to all businesses in on-street pay station areas. New signs and temporary meter bag covers, both bearing the Park & Pay logo, have alerted the public to note their space number and pay at the new pay stations. In addition, special Traffic Officer Ambassadors have been on-site for the first few days of pay station operation in each area to assist the public in using the new machines. The pay stations provide real-time status information on revenue, cash collections, maintenance issues, paid status and other vital statistics. This information has improved the effectiveness of all aspects of parking meter management. For example, when a pay station has a coin jam, the Parking Meter Technician Supervisor receives a text message on his cell phone. He can then respond directly or dispatch a technician to the area for immediate repair. Similarly, the coin collection operation is becoming more efficient as we develop experience with the new technology. The real-time reporting of the coin box allows the collections to be made in a timely manner; the coin boxes are emptied when they are almost full, but not overflowing. The real-time maintenance notifications and the redundancy incorporated in the pay station system have provided the public with unprecedented reliability. DOT has achieved an average uptime for the City's pay stations of over 99% during the last two months. In addition, since the public can (and is required to) pay at another pay station in the lot or on-street area, even when a pay station is out of service, metered parking continues to be operational. In addition, recent software improvements have been made to allow the pay stations to accept credit card payments during a coin jam. These features also strongly discourage pay station vandalism, since intentionally jamming a pay station does not result in free parking, but just a longer walk to pay at an adjacent pay station. Credit card payments now account for approximately 40% of all pay station revenue. Credit card use has doubled at the busier pay station lots with the implementation of new rates. In the areas with the highest hourly rates, some on-street pay stations are experiencing up to 80% payments by credit card. There has been limited experience with the cell phone payments, but they are expected to increase as the public becomes more aware of this payment option and the pay stations are installed in more areas.

6 Council File S New Meter Rates And Hours (80% Complete) LADOT has been implementing the changes in parking rates and hours of operation as approved by Council, since they took effect in September In most areas of the City, the rates have doubled with a minimum rate of $1.00 per hour. In most areas of the City, the hours of operation are being extended to 8 PM, and in entertainment and shopping districts, meter hours include 11 AM to 8 PM on Sundays and/or up to midnight on Friday and Saturday nights. The Fiscal Year Budget assumed an effective date of the new parking meter rates of July 1, 2008, but the enacting ordinance was approved by Council on July 15, 2008 and the effective date was not until Sunday, August 31, Implementation began in September and is proceeding on schedule; however, the two month delay has caused DOT to reduce the projected meter revenue impact for FY from $22.3 million to $18.1 million. The implementation of the new parking meter rates and hours of operation is currently 80% complete and is on schedule to be completed by the end of The posting of revised time limit signs that match the new meter hours will continue through January It is too early to develop firm estimates of the impact of the rate and hour changes. However, it is worth noting that so far the average increase in revenue for the on-street meters has been over 75%. There have been dramatic revenue increases in some of the parking lots, which have experienced an average increase for all lots of almost 100%. DOT anticipates that, once the new rates and hours have been fully implemented, the City will experience a total parking meter revenue increase of 75 to 80%. NEXT STEPS Citywide Parking Technology RFP DOT anticipates the release of an RFP for Citywide parking meter replacement by January 31,2009. The RFP will include comprehensive parking management elements based on the knowledge gained from the initial deployments of new parking technology. A former City employee has been hired on a 90-day contract to expedite this process. Comprehensive Metered Parking Study DOT has launched a pilot program to evaluate the impacts of the recent rate, hours, and technology changes implemented in Downtown, Hollywood, and Studio City. The program utilizes wireless communication to collect data from parking meters and parking stall detectors, in an effort to better understand the revenue and parking demand impacts of the recent changes. DOT anticipates the ability to develop further policy recommendations to optimize parking meter operation in these areas based on the findings of the study. Downtown Intelligent Parking Management (lpm) Program DOT is planning to issue an additional RFP in March 2009, subject to Council approval, for the Downtown Intelligent Parking Management (IPM) Project. The project is budgeted at $18.5 million with $15.0 million from the LACMTA Congestion Reduction Demo Initiative (USDOT Grant) and the balance projected from the SPRF. The Downtown IPM Project will utilize vehicle sensors and a real-time parking guidance system to optimize the utilization of public on- and off-street parking in the Downtown Los Angeles Area, thus reducing the significant traffic congestion and pollution associated with drivers searching

7 Council File S for parking. Similar to congestion pricing, demand-based parking pricing will also encourage a modal shift to carpooling, bicycling and public transportation. To support the new parking pricing and policies, new meter technology will be deployed to provide motorists alternative payment options and improved convenience. DOT plans to report back to the Transportation Committee in submit a ordinance to allow it the flexibility of adjusting parking rates to meet 85% on-street space occupancy rate. The results of the on-street parking sensor study will be analyzed before LADOT makes a recommendation to the City Council to amend the ordinance. FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT The actions described in this report have no negative impact on the General Fund because the costs associated with the deployment of new parking technology and the implementation of new rates and hours are borne by the Special Parking Revenue Fund (SPRF). DOT has projected an annual increase in parking meter revenue to the SPRF of $18.1 million. Additional citation revenue during the expanded hours of meter operation may moderately increase revenue to the General Fund depending upon usage and compliance.