Arlington begins installing ground sensors as part of 'Performance Parking Pilot' project
ARLINGTON, Va. (7News) — No one likes looking for parking -- So after getting a $5.4 million grant from the Virginia Department of Transportation, Arlington County is trying out new technology to tackle its parking problem.
Starting Monday, they’ll begin installing in-ground sensors for its Performing Parking Pilot project. The sensors can detect whether there is or isn’t a car in the parking spot.
Officials say crews will be starting on 14th St N somewhere between N Barton St and N Taft St.
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The project area includes 4500 metered spaces in the Rosslyn-Ballston Corridor and Richmond Highway Corridor. Using that sensor data, the price a driver pays for parking can vary based on availability and demand.
The county says its goal is to make more spaces available more often, share information about parking options in real-time, and reduce negative impacts like double parking or cruising for a spot. What the county says they’re not trying to do is increase parking revenue or increase rates across the board.
The county will be installing these sensors for about five months with about 200 installations a week. Any parking meter rate change won’t start until 2024.
According to a presentation by Arlington County, San Francisco had a similar project and found average parking rates were lower and availability improved.
County officials are asking the community to share their input on parking in the pilot project corridors through Summer 2023.
The county sent 7Nbews the following statement regarding the project:
"We are kicking off our Performance Parking Pilot this week with the installation of 4,500 in-ground parking sensors at metered parking spaces across the Route 1 and Rosslyn-Ballston corridors. The goal of the project is to improve the user experience for metered parking spaces in these two key commercial and residential corridors in Arlington.
Crews plan to install about 200 sensors per week, weather dependent. We will also be visiting local businesses in advance of any construction impacts.
Installation of the sensors is expected to last about 5 months.
We expect to have occupancy data to analyze and share with the community this summer/fall. Any parking meter rate changes from this project will not be implement until 2024.
An online feedback form will be open throughout installation for comments: https://publicinput.com/s3211.
Visit arlingtonva.us and search “Performance Parking Pilot” for more information."
For more information on the pilot project, go here.
