Don’t Go Now, Doug – We Still Need You! from Page 26
My guess is that these problems of supply and demand,
balance of parking demographics, financing the operation and the politics will probably remain relatively consistent well into the future. For now, a check of the parking listserv CPARK-L (CPARK-
L@lists.psu.edu) lists several salient current parking issues. Some involve high-tech tools that may help the industry solve the longer term problems noted above. Maybe someday we can even push the environment into a market-based economy where we collect the true full value of a parking space. It’s tough looking into a crystal ball to foresee the future. One
issue I do see involves management software for…bicycles. This makes sense in a world where planners see Transportation Demand Management (TDM) as the panacea for all parking ills on a college campus, and where bicycling is becoming more and more accepted as a serious means of transportation. Additionally, TDM strategies are connected to programs
such as parking buyouts, subsidized access to mass transit, van- pools, carpools, car-sharing, park-and-ride locations, shuttle serv- ices and a whole slew of other alternatives. Parking is expensive.We took a look at all costs on the Penn
State campus this year and found that building the next parking space in a surface lot costs $500 and in a deck $1,800. Those fig- ures include maintenance with a projected 30-year life span with either type of facility.We picked the incremental value as a good yardstick because we accept that it is impossible to eliminate all parking. This means that certain infrastructure costs remain.
Transportation Demand Management is where the technical
aspects of parking will meld more fully with management tech- niques to reduce the need for parking. But care must be exercised with TDM to ensure that methods chosen are possible for your application and will be accepted by your customer base: What works in Chicago may not work in Bloomington, IN. But TDM will loom ever larger on university campuses
because it is a viable tool to satisfy demand without increasing supply too much. Other topics I see relate to management of contractor/ven-
dor/service and delivery parking. Where to put both construc- tion vehicles and those transporting non-university workers can soak up a lot of parking space if you are not careful. New tech- nical marvels will continue to evolve and will not always make life easier. Free vs. paid parking remains a raging battle on campuses,
as elsewhere, especially where university visitors are concerned. I always think of Rina Cutler’s words of wisdom: Parking should be friendly, not free. Even though I have retired from Penn State, I have learned a
lot over the years, developed some very good friendships and hope to continue to be a part of the industry for many years to come. So, if you hear of a job opening, let me know!
Doug Holmes is on “emergency rehire” as Penn State’s Interim Director of Transportation Services. He can be reached at
wdh1@psu.edu.
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