Summary of the. Beirut On-Street Parking Improvement Program. Barbara J. Chance, Ph.D.

Transcription

1 Summary of the Beirut On-Street Parking Improvement Program Barbara J. Chance, Ph.D. President and CEO CHANCE Management Advisors, Inc. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA

2 What Is Happening in Beirut and Why? The Lebanese government launched a dramatic reconstruction program in the 1990 s to rebuild and revitalize the country after the many years of war. The reconstruction of the Centre Ville (center city) is arguably the largest redevelopment project presently underway in the world. As part of the reconstruction program, the Council for Development and Reconstruction (CDR) led a project to create The Greater Beirut Transportation Plan. Beirut was known as the Paris of the East before the war, but it was recognized by all that Beirut could not regain its position as a leading metropolis of the Middle East until significant transportation problems and deficiencies were addressed. A team of international consultants and advisors from The World Bank have been working with CDR on the complex infrastructure issues. Among the roadway, transit, and traffic management plans and strategies in The Greater Beirut Transportation Plan was the recommendation to develop a parking master plan. While the initial focus was on the creation of additional off-street parking in garages, as the consultants gathered data and began analyzing the parking conditions in Beirut, it became clear that addressing on-street parking was the first priority. While Beirut will eventually need to build additional off-street parking in automated, above-ground, or underground garages, bringing order to on-street parking is an early necessity. Many off-street parking garages are underneath buildings and do not serve as public parking facilities for those coming to retail or commercial establishments. The chaotic and unregulated on-street parking that has occurred in Beirut over the past 20 years has severely hampered the small amount of remaining bus transit that exists, as well as making traffic movement to and through Beirut extremely difficult. The effects of ungoverned parking are experienced daily by workers, visitors, delivery companies, tourists, and shoppers. The traffic congestion caused by parking adds to delay and reduces economic efficiency within and around Beirut. The ability to park freely everywhere in a legal and illegal manner has helped to create intense parking demand, emphasizing the use of personal rather than public transport. Resolving on-street parking problems is essential for realizing the positive effects of other traffic and transit improvements. Intersections are jammed by vehicles due to illegal onstreet parking, the lack of traffic controls, and overall traffic congestion. This hampers public transit as well as private vehicles. CHANCE Management Advisors, Inc. 1 The Beirut On-Street Parking Improvement Program

3 Key Concepts for On-Street Parking There are many issues associated with the improvement of Beirut traffic, transportation, and parking. The key ones to be addressed by the On-Street Parking Improvement Program are as follows:! The municipalities in the Greater Beirut Area that have substantial on-street parking problems need both the organizational structure and the professional capacity to address the parking circumstances and needs. Neither a suitable organizational structure nor professionals in the field of parking management exist now in Beirut government, and both must be created to deal effectively with parking management as a component of the overall traffic and transport strategy.! On-street parking will be controlled in order to eliminate double parking that blocks traffic, parking on the sidewalks that endangers pedestrians, parking at intersections that hinders traffic movement, all-day parking in areas that should have short-term use, and other driving and parking behavior that degrades both the economic efficiency and the quality of life in Beirut commercial areas. Both government and private businesses have been forced to be inventive to prevent sidewalk parking in commercial areas.! The controls will include parking regulations that are appropriate to serve the land use adjacent to the on-street spaces, fair and consistent parking enforcement, a rational system of fees for parking spaces that have high demand, a fine structure that deters drivers from parking incorrectly and receiving parking tickets, and equipment and technology to implement the controls.! Contractors will be retained through a competitive process to provide services that require expertise, personnel, or equipment not easily available in Beirut.! The parking program will be progressive in its selection and use of new technology to solve the on-street parking programs identified. Since Beirut is essentially starting its on-street parking program with a clean slate, it has the opportunity to benefit from other cities experiences (positive and negative) and to use the most modern technology to support the parking program. CHANCE Management Advisors, Inc. 2 The Beirut On-Street Parking Improvement Program

4 ! Beirut needs to implement the portions of the On-Street Parking Improvement Program that can be accomplished now. Not every desired aspect can be done in the short-term, but that should not deter the implementation of the possible portions of the program. Implementation Process and Functions A major decision was to create an autonomous metropolitan Traffic Management Organization (TMO). The TMO will be the source of professional expertise and capacity to address traffic planning and movement, traffic signals, communications, intersections, support for traffic police, and related functions. The parking program in Beirut will be consolidated into one parking management organization that will be a key part of this independent public agency holding the authority to manage virtually all traffic and transportation issues in Greater Beirut. Beirut, which is the national capital, is composed of numerous municipalities. Those that participate in the On-Street Parking Improvement Program will authorize the TMO Parking Department to design, implement, manage, regulate, and operate the on-street parking program in their municipalities. The Parking Department will manage parking functions directly as an exclusive concessionaire to the municipalities, act as a liaison to other areas of government that perform related functions, and oversee functions performed by contractors selected by the Parking Department. Other important implementation functions include the following: # A contractor (supplier) will be retained for the major function of providing, installing, and maintaining parking meters that will be used as the control mechanisms for on-street paid parking. Paid on-street parking will be implemented in the commercial areas where parking demand significantly exceeds parking supply. The paid parking program will be implemented through the use of solar-powered pay-and-display multi-space parking meters. These meters govern spaces each, allow the use of coins as well as credit and debit cards, and are state-of-the-art technology that will serve Beirut well for a decade. # The Traffic Code will be modified or Administrative Decisions made to provide an updated parking fine schedule and extend the life of a parking ticket. Traditional activities still take place in this modern, cell-phone, reconstructing city, adding charm as well as some traffic congestion. # The on-street parking program will begin through the use of several pilot program areas. These areas will receive the installation of new regulatory signs and meters, and the results and use by the public will be monitored and analyzed so that any problems or improvements may be made before other larger areas are implemented. The pilot program areas will be in the municipality of Beirut, so that additional complexity is not added to the initial phase of the program. After the pilot program, meters will be installed and the program implemented beginning in two major commercial areas of Beirut. CHANCE Management Advisors, Inc. 3 The Beirut On-Street Parking Improvement Program

5 # On-street parking spaces will be provided and signed for short-term parking, loading and unloading of goods, passenger loading/unloading zones, bus stops, and taxi zones. Few if any of these necessary on-street spaces exist today. # The program will be tailored on a block-by-block basis. For instance, a block containing a hotel will need more passenger loading area than a block where land use is primarily office buildings. Parking time periods, rates, and regulations will take into consideration land use, patrons, and hours of peak demand, particularly as the program matures. # As part of the concession agreement between the TMO Parking Department and the municipalities, the municipalities will authorize the Parking Department Enforcement Officers to enforce parking surcharges (for parking improperly with regard to the multi-meters), illegal parking (such as double parking, parking on the sidewalk), and vehicle immobilization ( booting ) for unpaid parking surcharges. These Officers will also call the Traffic Police for towing services if an illegally parked vehicle should be moved out of its location. # The TMO Parking Department will pay a concession fee to the respective municipalities in which the parking meters are located. The fees will be paid to the municipalities as direct revenues for each of them. Controlling on-street parking is an absolute necessity for improving transit and traffic conditions, as well as for supporting the commercial areas of Beirut by providing convenient and available parking for shoppers, tourists, and visitors to the areas. Better on-street parking also aids in safety and convenience for pedestrians, as parking on the sidewalk ceases. Objectives of the On-Street Parking Improvement Program The On-Street Parking Improvement Program should result in positive changes that are both observable and measurable. The objectives for the program, which will constantly be measured and analyzed, are listed below:! Illegal parking (double and triple parking, parking on sidewalks, parking in intersections, etc.) should decrease to the point where it is atypical rather than normal in Beirut. Parking on the sidewalk is quite common, often forcing pedestrians to walk in the streets. The lane they walk in may be the only one open to traffic due to double parking.! Levels of service (in traffic engineering terms) should increase at intersections as traffic is able to move more quickly and smoothly than before.! Traffic levels of service on Beirut streets and arterials should improve as all traffic (personal vehicles, transit, taxis) ceases to be deterred by illegal parking. CHANCE Management Advisors, Inc. 4 The Beirut On-Street Parking Improvement Program

6 ! On-street parking spaces should experience more turnover a larger number of individuals should be able to park in each space each day, thus serving both commercial establishments and those who frequent them.! Sparsely used off-street parking lots should fill as all-day parking is prevented from using shortterm spaces in commercial areas, thus the entire parking supply is used more effectively.! Trucks and other commercial vehicles should cease to double-park for loading and unloading as Loading Zones are established specifically for their use.! Pedestrian movement and safety should improve as parking on the sidewalk and at intersections is prohibited and enforced.! Commercial establishments should experience, over time, greater patronage as those who drive to downtown Beirut have an easier time finding available parking spaces.! In the future, a well planned and enforced on-street parking program will encourage increased use of public transit by employees and other who come downtown for all day, since the on-street parking in commercial areas will favor those who want to park for short periods of time. This element of parking demand management will assist public transit in direct and indirect manners. Lessons Learned The Beirut experience and process has provided numerous lessons for the future, not only for other areas in Beirut but also for other cities. Undoubtedly the implementation will add to this list: Communication with stakeholders is essential. Efforts to improve the transportation and parking infrastructure began in Beirut with a series of meetings with stakeholders to discuss the problems and potential solutions. The stakeholders ranged from public officials and agencies to merchants and residents. Meetings to refine the program ideas and implementation methods continued as the details of the program and its budget were developed. Ongoing communication will continue to be very important in the future to keep the political as well as public support and commitment to the programs. Support from the Municipal Council of Beirut is important for the success of the On- Street Parking Improvement Program, and the Council s approval had to be obtained. Public information must be substantial for the program to be successful. Imagine individuals driving during the last 20 years in any city without the order or benefit of traffic signals, parking regulations, and street markings. There are literally generations of drivers in Beirut who have never experienced what most countries would consider typical traffic and parking regulations. A major factor in getting the Transportation Plan, and the on-street parking program in particular, to work will be an ongoing public awareness campaign. Convincing people that paid parking, regulations, and enforcement will be positive for Beirut and its residents and visitors will take a major effort using every means of communication possible. CHANCE Management Advisors, Inc. 5 The Beirut On-Street Parking Improvement Program

7 Professional assistance is necessary to develop data, program elements, and budgets. The Council for Development and Reconstruction and the World Bank developed and used an international team of professionals to prepare the on-street parking improvement program. Part of the team gathered and analyzed data to determine the areas and blocks for which paid and metered parking were necessary. Others structured the program elements and determined the desired operating procedures for Beirut. They also created budgets that realistically portrayed both expenses and potential revenues, and that could be modified as the program proceeded and changes were made. Financing all the programs and equipment during the start-up and following years will require extensive planning and documentation. The dollars estimated to improve transportation and parking are significant, and sometimes it is necessary to remember that the lack of improvements would prove much more expensive for Lebanon and Beirut over the long run. All aspects of the program were conceived, discussed, and refined prior to decisions being made, and the Beirut program benefited from the experiences and expertise of all those working on it. Do what is possible. Implementing the on-street parking improvement program, and indeed the whole Transportation Plan, is an example of the old phrase sometimes the perfect is the enemy of the possible. Some changes in the legal codes will not be possible within any reasonable time period, and so the possible must be identified and implemented in order to achieve progress. Government is exceedingly complex in Lebanon, and obtaining the approvals for all the elements to obtain the perfect program would mean that a program would never begin. The team working on the On-Street Parking Improvement Program had to determine reasonable compromises that would allow the program to be created, even if every element was not ideal in its conception or implementation. Capacity building is an essential requirement of the program. When a new program is introduced into an urban environment, and the consultants and advisors complete their work, the local organization must be able to operate, refine, and analyze the program put into effect. Therefore, it is absolutely necessary that part of the program implementation address the need to build local capacity to recruit, train, and assist local professionals who will have ongoing responsibility for the program. The Beirut On-Street Parking Improvement Program contains budget and program elements devoted to finding and training those who will be responsible for the program and for maintaining its support in the Beirut environment. Developing competent professionals for the program is also necessary for constructive monitoring of contractors that will be delivering essential services. Next Steps The next steps will be managed by the Council for Development and Reconstruction as it begins to implement the plans and create the TMO and its Parking Department. A Request for Qualifications has been prepared and advertised to obtain information from potential contractors that can assemble the team to provide the services that Beirut has decided to outsource. A Request for Proposals will follow the evaluation of the qualifications, and a contractor (with sub-contractors) will be retained. As this is occurring, CDR will also be recruiting individuals to occupy departmental positions and to become trained for the management and operations of the program. The On-Street Parking Improvement Program will truly be underway once both contractors and program staff are in place. CHANCE Management Advisors, Inc. 6 The Beirut On-Street Parking Improvement Program