When Siegman & Associates founder Patrick Siegman led the Santana Row Parking & Transportation Demand Management Plan, he found hundreds of spaces unused at even the busiest hours. Yet many perceived a parking shortage. He recommended using prices, along with a suite of transportation benefits for employees and residents, to keep prime parking spots available for customers. Today, SF Gate reported that Federal Realty has now implemented a key part of his recommendations:
"Since the San Jose mall opened over 20 years ago, Santana Row has offered free parking. On Tuesday, that is no longer the case."
Continue reading at SF Gate.
What can be learned from Santana Row's experience? Here's one lesson. Every parking system has two parts:
- Quantity (the number of spaces), and
- Management (the policies & prices used to manage them).
Before building more parking, always ask, “Do we have a parking supply problem, or a parking management problem?” At Santana Row, the quantity of parking was ample, but a new management strategy was needed. We're glad to see a key part of that strategy implemented and hope that customers will find it easier to find a space.