Description
This measure involves updating parking facility design to prioritize carpool and vanpool vehicles by placing carpool and vanpool designated parking spaces near front entrances and more convenient locations. CAPCOA encourages this strategy to prioritize shared or low-emission vehicle users while discouraging Single Occupancy Vehicle parking near congested areas
Implementation Details
- Adopt development code and design standards that require preferential parking.
- Work with employers to retrofit existing parking facilities to include preferential parking.
Mitigation Potential
Preferential treatment, free/reduced parking fees, priority parking, or parking located in convenient locations encourages ridesharing, which reduces VMT. The measure’s impact on VMT will vary on existing travel patterns and current parking inventory. While there are not quantification methods for measuring the impact of this strategy alone, this strategy is often provided as part of a package of strategies in Employer Sponsored TDM programs.
Linked Strategies
Equity Considerations
Preferential parking programs should be structured to avoid overburdening delivery drivers and service workers while reducing reliance on Single Occupancy Vehicle trips. Cities should avoid displacing loading and unloading zones or ADA parking spaces.
Funding Sources
Operations and enforcement will most likely be managed by employers or property managers. Combine with other active transportation or transit design elements/strategies to utilize those funding sources.
Implemented in TAM Area
Current TDM Implementation
The County of Marin has a preferred parking benefit for employees that carpool, allowing groups of county employees (or a county employee and a non-county employee traveling between home and work) to register with the RideGreen program to park in reserved carpool zones. Marin Commutes provides resources for employers that are interested in implementing priority parking for carpool and vanpool, along with other TDM services.
TDM Benefit Locations
This TDM measure can be implemented by employers throughout Marin, especially those who identify large proportions of employees driving to work individually. The County of Marin has a Green Business Program, which certifies businesses that fulfill a rigorous checklist of environmentally responsible and community-oriented practices. This program could be used as an incentive for employers to provide preferred carpool and vanpool parking.