Overview

Parking planning and management are central aspects of transportation systems and the built urban environment. On average, a private vehicle is in motion for about 5% of its lifetime from the day it is produced until it is scrapped. In other words, a private vehicle being in motion is the exception; most of its time is spent parked. Despite this, public attention is often focused on the moving car, not the parked one. Each private vehicle requires more than one parking space; one at the point of departure and several at different destinations. Therefore, issues such as traffic congestion or public transportation availability cannot be addressed without considering parking.

Currently, parking management in public spaces in Israel is lacking. Only a small portion of street parking spaces are managed by public authorities. For example, in Jerusalem, only about 10% of street parking is managed. In Tel Aviv, parking management mainly focuses on the issuing of fines, with the city revenue from parking tickets being double, or more, than the revenue from paid parking fees. Additionally, in the absence of proper management of street parking spots and pricing, and without a systemic view of the total amount of parking spaces, there is no optimal utilization of the parking resource.

A data-driven parking policy and proper pricing will create optimal resource use, reduced traffic congestion in the city, and a more efficient and high-quality urban environment. Common arguments heard in response to attempts to manage parking and prices are often based on the presence, or absence, of public transportation and its efficiency. Critics often begin their arguments with phrases like, “Until there is efficient public transportation…” or “Until there is public transportation on Shabbat…”. It should be clarified that all measures we propose here are suitable for any urban situation, even one without public transportation. While public transportation can impact parking supply, demand, and pricing, this does not negate the need to manage and price parking accordingly.