They've got your number
When I visited the U.K. in March/April, I stayed at Zoe's place in Uxbridge, a suburb most memorable for a canal full of baby strollers and a college campus used in the filming of A Clockwork Orange. Every day started with a 15-minute walk to the Tube that included a trip around a roundabout with a large sign informing drivers of where parking could be found and how many parking spots were available at each. Since the Uxbridge High Street has a tube terminal, two malls, about 30 pubs and is positively crawling with Chavs at all hours, parking is an issue for shoppers and commuters. Therefore, a sign with up-to-the-minute parking information is a great idea.
San Francisco's BART subway has finally discovered these automated parking information boards and is receiving good reviews for their implementation.
An idea: Why not put them at the I-95 - Beltway junction north of Washington? As an occasional Baltimore-DC commuter, I often pulled into the lots in Greenbelt, New Carrolton or Forest Glen, only to find that no parking was available. With 10 minutes between the merge and these stations in smooth traffic (up to 30 otherwise), there could be a problem figuring out if any spots will still be available upon arrival, but I'm sure something could be worked out.
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rj3 | 4:10 PM |
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Putting signs up like that would just make sense!
In Boston, on Route 3 northbound in Braintree, they have a sign for the Quincy Adams (or is it Braintree, its been a while since i drove there) station if the lot is full or not. Having the actual number of spacing would be extremely helpful, but i'll take what i can get.
Also, in the Boston area when you dial SmarTraveler 617-374-1234, they tell you what the capacity is of the parking lots at major T stations in the morning.
Route 2 gives you - Alewife Parking Status
Route 3 south of Boston gives you - Quincy Adams Status
I-93 north of the city gives you - Wellington Status
I-90 and Route 128 (i think) gives you - Riverside Status
BTW: Long time reader, infrequent poster. Great site, keep up the great work!
All the little town parking lots and garages here in Germany and the ones I saw in the Netherlands have little signs telling you "frei" ("frij" in the Netherlands and Belgium) - not as in cost, but as in spots are available. In a few cities, they update the number of available spaces. In Koblenz, they had these posted soon after you got off the highway leading into town.
BWI installed those "space free" indicators in its parking lots two or three years ago. They are so convenient - I don't now why more parking lots don't have them already.
MARTA's North Spring rail station has a highway message board informing commuters of parking availability. Sadly, suburbanites hate transit so I've only seen the sign turn to full a couple of times in the past few years. But at least it is there for those few times that the lot is indeed full.
