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Q&A
Impact of congestion pricing on parking in and around the CBD
0:36:22
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158 sec
Council Member Brooks-Powers inquires about the effects of congestion pricing on parking in the commercial business district (CBD) and surrounding areas. DOT officials provide initial observations and ongoing monitoring efforts.
- Slight decrease in commercial parking activity inside the CBD zone in the first few weeks, followed by leveling off
- Anecdotal evidence suggests more orderly access to loading zones within the CBD
- Data collection for areas outside the CBD is ongoing, with a report due 18 months after the launch of congestion pricing
Selvena N. Brooks-Powers
0:36:22
Has congestion pricing eased the parking situation in the commercial business district?
Joshua Benson
0:36:32
Thank you for the question, Chair.
0:36:34
So we've been monitoring the parking activity in and around the congestion pricing zone.
0:36:42
That's part of actually the city's legal responsibility under the congestion pricing law.
0:36:47
And it's a very new program, congestion pricing, so there's not a tremendous amount of data yet.
0:36:54
But what we've seen is a slight decrease the first few weeks of congestion pricing in the commercial parking activity inside the zone and then sort of leveling off where now it seems more close to the historical number.
0:37:15
So we'll keep monitoring it.
0:37:16
It's early.
0:37:17
We do think, you know, that's it's something that's subject to being influenced by the congestion fees, so we are continuing to monitor that.
Selvena N. Brooks-Powers
0:37:29
Thank you for that.
0:37:32
Do you know has it improved loading zones in the CBD, and conversely has DOT noticed any increased demand for parking in areas outside the CBD?
Joshua Benson
0:37:47
These are good questions.
0:37:49
They're also things that we're gathering data on now.
0:37:53
Outside the CBD, we did a big data collection before the program started, and we're going to do another one later this year.
0:38:08
Our report is due back to the state eighteen months after the launch, so we're trying to capture the activity after people settle into their new patterns.
0:38:22
So we have not captured that after data in the areas outside the CBD as yet.
0:38:33
I would say anecdotally, the loading zones within the CBD do seem a little more orderly, even though the number of transactions, like I said, was slightly decreased and then kind of leveling off.
0:38:47
It seems to be a bit less chaotic in general.
0:38:52
So I think we're seeing better access to the the curbside, more orderly access, and it's positive.