Parking in Boston

Vineet GuptaBoston Transportation Department

Policy Framework

Current Programs– Boston Parking Freeze– Transportation Access Plan Agreements

New Programs to Explore

Parking in Boston

Policy Framework

Convenience

ClimateCost

Residents, Customers, Employees

$350K private

$1.25/hr meter

Commonwealth Avenue

$10/hr $14/2hr garage

Newbury Street

Glo

uce

ster

Stre

et

$Free resident permit

Convenience

Locate parking to meet the mobility needs of residents such as travel to work, food, health, education and recreation related destinations.

Make it convenient for residents and customers to find parking either on-street or off-street.

Convenience

Provide multiple choices at parking facilities, including space for car-share services, vanpool and bicycles

Develop online and app based real-time information on parking availability.

Climate

Reduce auto-ownership in conjunction with increasing the availability of alternative modes of travel

Encourage the use of clean-fuel and fuel-efficient cars

Reduce the number of trips associated with each parking space

Cost

Free or low-cost parking in residential permit districts

Parking in commercial districts to support customers and not employees

Cost

Encourage the use of market rates for garage parking in office buildings

Explore shared or multiple uses for parking spaces to encourage alternative modes and during emergencies

Policy Framework

Convenience

ClimateCost

Residents, Customers, Employees

Current Programs

• Boston Parking Freeze• Keep overall parking supply low in downtown

areas

• Transportation Access Plan Agreements (TAPAs)• Implement maximum parking ratios• Implement TDM progams

Current Programs

Climate

• •

•Parking Freeze regulations• The Air Pollution Control Commission (APCC)

administers parking freezes on off-street parking for three areas of Boston: Downtown, South Boston, and East Boston

Parking Freeze Districts

Established in 1973 by the EPA, the Downtown Freeze caps “public parking” or fee parking at 35,000

Imposed by DEP in 1993 the South Boston Freeze caps all parking (except new residential at 1 space/unit) with an additional 3,000 spaces to accommodate development

The East Boston Freeze is administered by Massport to mange airport related parking

Parking Freeze Districts

Current Programs

Convenience

• •

•Required for all Article 80 Projects • Manage parking supply• Manage TDM program

TAPAs

TAPAs

ARTICLE 80 PROCESS

ADEQUACYDETERMINATION

OCCUPANCY

TRANSPORTATIONMITIGATION

COMMITMENTS

PROJECT/ ENVIRONMENTAL

NOTIFICATION FORM

DRAFT PROJECT IMPACT REPORT/ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT

FINAL PROJECT IMPACT REPORT/ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT

TRANSPORTATION ACCESSPLAN AGREEMENT

CONSTRUCTIONMANAGEMENT

PLAN

BAPCCPERMIT

CONSTRUCTION

TAPA / APCC PROCESS

Figure 17 – Development Review Process

• Residential:1 parking space per dwelling unit

• Office / Commercial: 0.75 parking space per 1000 square feet

• Minimum parking ratios superseded by Article 80 in Boston’s zoning code

• New parking ratios for all projects in some zoning districts

• Bundling / Unbundling varies

Maximum Parking Ratios

Maximum Parking Ratios by District

•Alternative mode parking• Bicycle Parking Ratios• Required car-share and vanpool parking• Required electric car charging stations• Hubway Stations

•Management programs• Subsidized MBTA pass programs• Ride-share, guaranteed ride-home, promotion

events• Required membership with local TMA• Annual report and on-site transportation

coordinator

TDM Programs

• One secure covered bike space/ dwelling unit

• 0.3 spaces for 1,000 sq ft of office or commercial

• Showers for over 40,000 sq ft

Bicycle Parking

•Required inclusion of car-share space•Required inclusion of electric vehicle

parking at 5% of total spaces

Electric and Car-Share Parking

• MASCO Longwood Medical Area• A Better City Downtown Boston• Seaport TMA South Boston Waterfront)• TranSComm Boston Medical Center-South

End)

TMA Colloboration

New Programs to Explore

Cost

Smart Parking Pilot – Innovation District

Smart Parking Pilot – Innovation District

•329 on-street spaces with sensors• Seaport Boulevard• Congress Street• Summer Street

•Streetline real-time information • Smartphone app• Widget for local business websites• Extensive occupancy data

Smart Parking Pilot – Innovation District

•Occupancy • Congress Street and Seaport

Boulevard over utilized (4 hrs)

• Summer Street underutilized (2 hrs)

• In 2014• Surveys • Promotion of app• Variable times and

pricing ???

Alternative Uses for Parking Spaces

•Choose technology for next generation of meters

•Accommodate alternative modes

• Bus lane on Essex Street• Bike lane on Mass Ave• Hubway and Scooter

parking

•Create more public space

• Parklets • Plazas, Curb extensions

Policy Framework

Convenience

ClimateCost

Residents, Customers, Employees

Parking in Boston

Vineet GuptaBoston Transportation Department