Through a smart distribution of small parking lots in residential areas, it will be possible to significantly improve the parking situation in the city center, especially if we limit ourselves to one car per family - according to a new study that will affect the Tel Aviv Municipality's parking policy
There is hope for those looking for parking in Tel Aviv - according to a new study by Prof. Yitzhak Benanson and Mr. Selva Birfir from the Department of Geography and the Human Environment and Porter School for the Environment of Tel Aviv University and Dr. Carl Martens from Radboud University, Nijmegen, Holland. For the first time, a model of city traffic was built, where thousands of virtual drivers drive to their destination and look for parking - just like we do in everyday reality. The model was built at the request of the Tel Aviv Municipality and its purpose is to compare the planned and existing parking arrangements and to choose a policy that will make the best use of the city's parking spaces, establish a fair payment for the city's residents and visitors, and reduce the time spent searching for parking, which causes environmental pollution and distress for the residents.
The model is based on a geographic information system in the ArcGIS environment that exists in the Tel Aviv municipality and includes accurate information on roads, buildings and businesses in the city. Field surveys conducted made it possible to discover the parking habits of residents and visitors in different areas of the city and their willingness to pay for parking. The model will serve as a tool for predicting the consequences of different parking policy alternatives.
The parking model in the city developed by Prof. Yitzhak Benanson and Mr. Selva Birfir from the Department of Geography and the Human Environment and the Porter School for the Environment of Tel Aviv University and Dr. Carl Martens from Radboud University, Nijmegen, Holland was recently submitted to the Traffic and Parking Authority of the Municipality of Tel Aviv Spring. The model imitates a very important part of urban life in Tel Aviv - searching for and finding parking near the destination of our trip in the city. The model shows streets, residences and offices in Tel Aviv and thousands of drivers approaching their destination and looking for parking. The model imitates the driver's decisions, which he makes in seconds - am I close enough to my destination and should I start looking for parking? Is the vacant place I see suitable for me, or should I move even closer to my destination? Is it worth it to park in a paid parking lot and not waste extra time searching? All these decisions are made while driving to the destination and taking into account the activities of the drivers around. The model is applied to Tel Aviv city center, where, at any given moment, thousands of drivers try to find parking.
Work on the model began in 2006 as part of a collaboration between the Department of Geography and the head of the Traffic and Parking Authority, Dr. Moshe Tiomkin. In recent years, the Municipality of Tel Aviv has been strict with its parking policy and has implemented many measures for parking payments. In a situation of a constant lack of parking in the city, it is very important to assess how much the new tools will contribute to the well-being of the city's residents and visitors, and how well the applied restrictions and parking arrangements in different neighborhoods and areas of the city are suitable for the population of these areas and those who visit them.
Many surveys conducted in various locations in Tel Aviv during the construction of the model and information received from the Municipality's Traffic and Parking Authority revealed the parking habits of different groups of drivers - local residents, office and store workers, and visitors to the city, who came for shopping and recreation - when they are looking for parking close to home, to the workplace or in the recreation areas. It turned out that between a third and a half of the drivers park in the city center for very short periods of time - up to half an hour - and the vast majority are willing to pay about NIS 5 for it. On the other hand, those who park on the street for a long time do not want to pay more than NIS 12-15, regardless of the parking time. Contrary to popular opinion, visitors to the city mostly stay in paid parking lots and along main streets and do not go deep into residential areas. The real sufferers are the residents of Tel Aviv, who return home in the evening. Despite the acute lack of parking during these hours, they ask to park not far from the house and are ready to make many rounds until a space becomes available no more than a five-minute walk from the house.
It is also possible to assess the level of mismatch between parking demand and supply. According to a census of parking places recently conducted by the Tel Aviv municipality, the demand for parking in central Tel Aviv exceeds the supply of parking in Blue and White and other arranged places by about 50-80%. A significant part of this huge difference stems from the ban on parking in red and white, but part - from the limitations of the space itself. If it were possible to park anywhere a car can fit, still between 5% and 10% of the residents' cars would have to park on the "second floor". This built-in gap causes a long search time and a relatively high percentage of local residents, who look for parking for more than 10-15 minutes and end up parking for a fee. As the surveys show, in order to maintain a convenient parking space, quite a few residents avoid moving their cars from a "successful" parking space for several days.
Is it possible to improve the parking situation in Tel Aviv and how can it be done? The study of the model shows, not surprisingly, that a significant improvement of the parking situation for city residents requires an addition of 800-1000 parking spaces per square meter in the city center. In the short term, this addition will cover the gap between demand and supply in the critical evening hours in a significant way. The proportion of residents looking for parking after working hours for an extended period of time will then drop to a few percent.
These improvements will be possible when the additional parking spaces are set at not large distances from residential areas, and residents will not try their luck by going around their homes before parking in a central parking lot. In terms of the comfort of the residents and the reduction of air pollution, the optimal situation is the addition of parking centers with the size of 200-250 spaces at distances of about half a kilometer from each other. This addition, at least partially, can come from an additional allocation of parking spaces in paid parking lots for use by the residents of the neighborhood. The model clearly shows that the concentration of parking spaces intended for residents in one place is much less effective - until they decide to go to the large parking lot, the residents will try again and again to find parking five minutes' walk from the house.
Will adding parking spaces in the city center improve the situation in the long run? The answer depends on our tendency to increase the number of cars in the family. If we manage to hold out and not invest in another Mazda after we managed to find a parking space in a few minutes for a week in a row - we will be able to preserve the existing situation and even improve it. If not - we will have to look for parking more and more time every evening. One of the recommendations of the model for the municipality - to adopt a different policy regarding the first car in the family and additional cars.
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Dr. Tiomkin's abuse of disabled drivers should also be covered, see the link.
What I did not find in the article specifically is a reference to public transportation. If there was good public transportation (not just taxis) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, one could expect citizens to sometimes give up the use of the private car. Until then, it is impudence to define a private car as a luxury, as I saw in one of the comments.
..and what is this talk about a paid parking lot 5 minutes away?
The closest parking lot to me is an hour away from me:
10 minutes of walking, and another 50 minutes to wait for them to let me in.
The municipality is wasting money on stupid research.
The parking search model is simple: drive and drive and drive and drive until after about an hour you see someone walking down the street with keys and no dog, follow them like idiots and jump on the parking lot if and when one turns.
The whole show of the municipality is disgusting, it's not nice to lie.
They are not at all interested in solving the parking problem, but rather give as many reports as possible.
It is better that they keep silent on this matter.
If they wanted, they would have dug 1000 places under public areas and the problem would have been solved in a short time.
And my response to all the "green" pretenders is one right here above me, you are neither great wise men nor little fools.
It is not possible to lead a reasonable lifestyle of work-home-kindergarten-school-going back and forth to work and back home without a car. What's more, my Fiat doesn't poke eyes.
Does the smoke I make every night while driving not count?
Isn't it better if I arrive, park immediately and not pollute the air, drive on Sunday for an hour and honk at the cats?
Stupid.
Wouldn't it be better if I come and buy right away
There is a parking shortage in almost the entire center, including Bat Yam Holon and Tel Aviv.
And that's because parking problems = money for the city.
Reports and paid parking belonging to underworld barons.
It is not a problem to solve the parking problem in Tel Aviv.
But they are not interested. They are better off playing simulations.
The height of stupidity!
The only solution to the parking problems, the air pollution, the traffic accidents, the waste of energy and resources, the unbearable ugliness of the city and more - stop buying and using cars, and take public transportation, bicycles and motorcycles and walk to the supermarket. The best way to achieve this is precisely through a drastic reduction of parking spaces. To the point of completely banning parking on the street! Why should the city streets be used as a huge parking lot? Why can't mothers walk with strollers anymore and why don't children play in the streets like they used to? Where does it say that cars must park on the sidewalk? Why do old people have to risk their lives every time they go to the grocery store?
Those who do not have private parking - should not buy a private car!
In any case, the whole point of a private car is usually for eye-popping and envy purposes.
It turns out that the corrupt municipality and Francia are more interested in the revenue from parking tickets than in the welfare and health of the mob.
In Ramat Gan the method was implemented and with great success
Small parking lots near residential houses
This significantly reduces the time spent looking for parking because everyone automatically drives to their 'own' parking lot and parks relatively close to the house without a headache.
ridiculous.
Academic proposals are very nice, the problem is what the municipality does with it - nothing!
I asked the municipality to mark parking spaces in specific places, so that there would not be a situation where there is a parking space that fits exactly two cars, and a driver comes and parks in such a way that he takes up the entire space (it is also possible to mark parking spaces that fit 3 cars, and there are quite a few such places).
I sent 3 letters - and each time they gave me a different excuse, which I refuted in the next letter. In short - a municipality that has no real interest (because it profits from reports).