Parking in Boston is wet to get smarter and easier for people who part at the city’s 8,000 metered spaces, with the addition of new intelligent multi-space and single space parking meters. Drivers will be able to pay via mobile phone, a credit card, or pocket change.
This next generation of meters will also provide real-time data to the City to help Boston Transportation Department (BTD) better manage the space at the curb. The information provided by an upgraded parking system and an analysis of current on-street parking regulations will allow the City to make decisions based on data, not just intuition.
Multi-space meters will be deployed in new locations in the Back Bay and in the Innovation District to improve city operations. A typical multi-space meter allows for more vehicles to fit on a block than one demarcated with single space meters. In addition to the approximately 145 new multi-space meters that will replace some single space meters, current multi-space meters in some areas will be upgraded, reducing annual maintenance costs for the aging equipment.
The remaining single space parking meters will be replaced with smart single space parking meters that can also be paid for with a mobile phone, credit card, or pocket change. A current pilot of credit card enabled single space meters has shown positive results since deployment. This next generation of meters will provide the potential for collecting occupancy and turnover rate of vehicles; critical data that gives the city insight on how to better manage the curb space around Boston.
The switch, which is part of a transportation policy initiative that includes a plan to reduce number of traffic deaths and strengthen bike lanes is expected to take place over the next two years to come and is expected to cost about US$6 million.
This next generation of meters will also provide real-time data to the City to help Boston Transportation Department (BTD) better manage the space at the curb. The information provided by an upgraded parking system and an analysis of current on-street parking regulations will allow the City to make decisions based on data, not just intuition.
Multi-space meters will be deployed in new locations in the Back Bay and in the Innovation District to improve city operations. A typical multi-space meter allows for more vehicles to fit on a block than one demarcated with single space meters. In addition to the approximately 145 new multi-space meters that will replace some single space meters, current multi-space meters in some areas will be upgraded, reducing annual maintenance costs for the aging equipment.
The remaining single space parking meters will be replaced with smart single space parking meters that can also be paid for with a mobile phone, credit card, or pocket change. A current pilot of credit card enabled single space meters has shown positive results since deployment. This next generation of meters will provide the potential for collecting occupancy and turnover rate of vehicles; critical data that gives the city insight on how to better manage the curb space around Boston.
The switch, which is part of a transportation policy initiative that includes a plan to reduce number of traffic deaths and strengthen bike lanes is expected to take place over the next two years to come and is expected to cost about US$6 million.
