The proposed idea is a two-tier technological solution to metropolitan parking issues. This is accomplished using technologies such as GPS, wireless communication, and presence sensing. New technology is not required because the solution system is merely a combination of already existing technology.
At the administrative level, there are presence detecting infrared sensors on each parking meter. These meters will transmit their availability data to a tower, which will then relay (delete s on relays) that information to a server. The server will then track the status of all meters in its jurisdiction. The server will also return a formatted signal to the tower to become wide banded to the owners of the proposed device.
The device will be similar in function and design to modern GPS driving aids. While modern devices have map data, the proposed device will include an additional layer that lists all available parking spaces. When the signal is received from the broadcast tower, the device will interpret which spaces are occupied, and remove them from its possible destinations. The device is then enabled to relay available parking near the desired destination effectively to the user. In the end, the driver will be directed to an available parking spot near their destination, as opposed to simply directions to the vicinity.
Executive SummaryCurrent means of managing parking and street congestion are insufficient. In order to facilitate parking within the city of Philadelphia, a network of parking meter vacancy detectors, an information database, communication towers, and GPS satellite will collaborate to navigate metropolitan drivers to available parking spaces near their destination via PDA-like devices. In the process, street congestion and individual driving time will be minimized.
The proposed solution facilitates drivers wishing to find parking within the city quicker and easier, without further compromising the parking process of non-clients. There are approximately 15,000 parking meters in the city of Philadelphia. The installation cost of each parking meter vacancy is approximately $10.00 per unit, and the price of each infrared sensor is $16.50 per unit. Thus, the ratio of total cost to number of parking spots managed is reasonably low. The cost of a central communication tower, including a database and installation is $20,000. The total cost to implement the desired parking spot navigation technology is estimated at $517,500. Comparatively, in the 2004-2005 year, the city of Philadelphia collected $114 million in parking fines (Cella 4). With a reworking of the budget, the cost of a parking spot navigation technology would easily be defrayed within a fiscal year.
Table of Contents
Abstract
Executive Summary
Table of Contents
Introdution
Problem Background
Survey of Literature
Objectives
Constraints
Criteria
Solution
Statement of Work
Weight Sensors
Optical Scanners
PhillyCarShare
Proposed Solution
Results
Discussion
Social Benefits
Negating Potential Negatives
Costs
Recommendations for Future Work
References
Acknowledgements
Appendix A
Appendix B
Appendix C
Drivers who travel within Philadelphia and other metropolitan areas struggle to find parking spots within the city, due to urban congestion. Current studies done by Intelligent Transportation Systems conclude “parking patrons often do not know where the best parking locations are… (and) whether a parking place will be available when they arrive” (USDOT 7). Consequently, it has become necessary to incorporate progressive, inexpensive, and practical means of finding parking in today’s urban societies such as Philadelphia.
Survey of LiteratureThe amount of time spent and other additional problems related to finding parking creates hassles for drivers in all metropolitan areas. Finding available parking spots increases driving time, which results in an increase in road rage and aggression for the driver due to frustration. Additionally, the environment is effected by extended driving times by the increase in automobile emissions. According to researchers from a Dutch institute, it has been concluded that “satellite navigation reduces the amount of miles driven by 16%” as well as “reduces the travel time when driving through an unknown area to an unknown destination by 18%” (Drake 6). Another positive effect of a navigation system includes reducing a driver’s stress when traveling through unknown areas, which allows the driver to be more alert on the road (Drake 6). This information supports the idea that decreasing the driving time for those traveling in the city will be beneficial in various aspects.
In order to gain additional knowledge about the general public’s view on parking, a brief questionnaire was constructed and distributed. The questionnaire surveyed the experiences of Philadelphia drivers both native and foreign to the area. The survey evaluated how frequently the individuals travel within Philadelphia. Those surveyed were asked, “How often do you or your family drive in Philadelphia?” The results of this poll are presented below in graph 1.
From these results, it can be concluded that the average individual drives within the Philadelphia area a few times a week. Therefore, drivers consistently encounter obstacles associated with parking in metropolitan areas on a frequent basis. In order to further enhance the evaluation of the average amount of time that drivers spend traveling in Philadelphia, a second question was polled. Participants were questioned, “How long to you spend trying to find a parking spot in the city once you have reached your destination?” Graph 2, as shown below, displays the average time it takes drivers to find parking in Philadelphia.
It can be concluded from this data that finding open parking spaces is a time consuming task in Philadelphia. The typical driver spends between ten to twenty minutes alone trying to find parking. These extended driving trips, due to inconvenient parking, ultimately leads to an increase in stress for drivers. Additional stress factors while driving causes drivers to become more aggressive on the road. Aggressive driving within urban areas is dangerous not only to the driver, but also to opposing traffic and pedestrians due to overpopulation. By advancing and simplifying vehicle parking in metropolitan areas, the stress drivers have on the road will drastically decrease. Accordingly, this sequentially enables driving in the city to be safer for everyone. Reducing driving time facilitates the parking process, which in turn promotes a less stressful and more enjoyable traveling experience.
Additionally, drivers were polled in regards to how often they drive as opposed to utilizing other means of transportation. The question, “How often do you utilize other methods of transportation over automobiles because of difficulty finding parking?” resulted in valuable information, depicted in Graph 3 below.
The results in Graph 3 infer that a noticeable amount of people prefer driving over other means of transportation. Generally, the public prefers to ride in the comfort of their car primarily, regardless of the more convenient options of public transportation. This data refutes the claim that making schemes in the city simpler would increase vehicle use in the city. Therefore, it can be estimated that the frequency of car trips in Philadelphia will not increase after the implementation of the desired parking solution.
The final question was designed for the benefit of the desired solution. Potential consumers were asked, “Would you be interested in purchasing a product or service that helps you find a parking spot in the city?” The overwhelming results of this data are presented below in Graph 4.
Objectives
The main goal of the designed solution is to facilitate the process of finding available parking spots in metropolitan areas for drivers. The design will give drivers the exact location of available parking within one half mile of their current location in the city. The process will provide for faster and more convenient ways of finding parking while decreasing driving time. As a result, individual stress of city driving and emissions given off by automobiles will be reduced.
ConstraintsThe two key factors to contemplate when deciding on the ideal solution is cost and the methods involved in deploying the solution. Due to the large scale of metropolitan areas and parking places, it would be beneficial to have a high ratio of parking spaces managed to cost. Also, when installing the solution across the city of Philadelphia, traffic flow must not be interrupted for more than five to ten hours contingent on how heavily the street is traveled. Depending on the chosen method to solve metropolitan parking, traffic flow ideally would remain undisturbed during installation of the product. Adhering to the constraints established assists in determining the optimum method to implement when solving parking problems in metropolitan areas. Therefore, the proposed solution will be successful if cost and installation interruptions are kept at a minimum while correspondingly solving the parking issues in Philadelphia.
CriteriaIn order to successfully solve parking problems within metropolitan areas, a network of devices are required to communicate with automotive drivers. The system will be a convenient and practical plan for finding open parking spots near the driver’s specific destination. Overall, the ideal proposition will be one that most effectively aids the general populous in regards to finding parking in metropolitan areas. It will be well within the constraints established and will not require excessive effort on behalf of its users and operators. This system will also be designed to consumer friendly.
A metropolitan area, such as Philadelphia, requires that the installation of this solution of networked devices be simple and cost efficient. The physical installation of devices juxtaposed to roadways will need to be designed to cause minimal traffic congestion. Ultimately, the solution will simplify the parking process within populated areas by reducing driving time. Decreased driving time ultimately benefits the city environment with less noise and air pollution.
SolutionThere are a few alternative methods of parking locator systems in metropolitan areas. A few current methods are currently being utilized in parking lots throughout different areas of the country. The resulting methods of solution have been formulated by the engineering group based on the assessment of the situation and personal judgment.
Weight SensorsThe first solution is the application of weight sensors, which is currently being employed at the Baltimore-Washington International Airport (Bessoni 2). Though this application, when weight is applied to a parking spot, a signal is then sent to a central server. The server then sends an additional signal to a light elevated above the spot. Drivers can identify an open parking space from the ends of the parking rows, rather than having to weave through the entire parking lot. The downfall to implementing this solution is that it is extremely expensive and inconvenient to install in Philadelphia. Weight sensors will require complete demolition of parking spaces which would disturb traffic flow and parking availability in the city for extended periods of time. Thus, the weight sensor method of tracking available parking would not be efficient in large metropolitan areas, like Philadelphia.
Optical ScannersAn additional method of solution is the use of optical scanners to track the availability of parking spots. This solution entails that “an optical system for tracking a target scans an optical beam across the target” (Blais 3). The reflected beams help determine the range and can create a “reference location” of the object, “thus tracking the target” (Blais 3). This method would require cameras to be positioned at advantageous locations monitoring several parking spots at a time to detect parking availability within a city block. This data then would then be relayed to the drivers by various means of transmitting and receiving devices. This system would require numerous identification camera units to be mounted systematically throughout the city to track parking. However, identification camera units are relatively expensive “at a cost of $75,000 a camera” and would therefore not be cost efficient as a solution (Conkey 5). Also, the cameras would be located in unmonitored areas, enabling them to be susceptible to vandalism and theft. Ultimately, this method is not cost efficient and counterproductive due to the resulting maintenance and replacement of cameras.
PhillyCarShareA present method currently in use in the city of Philadelphia is the PhillyCarShare program. The PhillyCarShare is a carpooling method focused on assisting drivers with parking problems while remaining environmentally friendly. The program is available to residents of the Philadelphia area and it supplies them with a vehicle that is shared with other members of the program. Members of the PhillyCarShare are able to drive hybrid cars that have been designed with the environment in mind (PhillyCarShare 10). Additionally, members of the program have designated parking spots, specifically for users of their program, in the city. The parking spaces are limited to members only and adversely further inconvenience the general driving populous. While finding a parking spot specified for PhillyCarShare is easy in heavily populated areas, many drivers still struggle to find parking near their destination. Therefore, it is still a challenge for many drivers in the program to find spots closer to their specific destination as well. Ultimately, parking remains an issue for this program and many drivers are forced to spend additional time driving to their destination in Philadelphia. So, although many of the vehicles shared in the program are hybrids, drivers are repeatedly emitting more harmful emissions into the environment than need be.
Proposed SolutionThe proposed solution for finding parking in Philadelphia is simple and immensely effective. By renovating current parking meters, the usage of parking spaces can be tracked more efficiently. Traffic flow will not be disrupted during installation; only sidewalk paths will be primarily an issue. Each unit will have a dual beam, infrared detection sensor to read the availability of a parking spot. An included transmitter will then relay the information to a central data hub. The availability status of the parking garage will be transmitted to drivers. By sending data about the amount of time left for current occupants of parking spaces, this device aides law enforcement officers of the Philadelphia Parking Authority. Officers will be able to more effectively track time violators by having the precise locations of their whereabouts.
ResultsThe desired solution system contains four key parts to work effectively. The first important aspect of the system is the actual device that features the integration of a Global Positioning System (GPS) and radio signals. Additionally, the transmitting tower(s), central data hub, and renovated meters would all work cooperatively together to form a complete system (Refer to Appendix A). The system will be able to provide efficient and streamline service though the combination of different technologies.
The original design initially included GPS satellites to relay necessary data to the actual device. However, further research into the nature of GPS positioning revealed complications with implementing GPS in this system. The research shows that there arecurrently 27 GPS satellites in space as displayed in Figure 1. 24 out of the 27 GPS satellites remain active, leaving 3 spare satellites to be used as an alternate in case of a breakdown. The GPS receivers work by receiving a spread-spectrum signal transmitted by the satellites at 1,575.42 MHz, also known as the L1, or civilian signal (Gentry 8). The GPS receivers measure the distance the signal has traveled using an internal time clock.
The GPS receivers then continue to measure the carrier phase, with a phase ambiguity. This gives the signal 100 times less noise than the distance. Using both signals, the device’s position can be calculated accurately (Harris 9). However, the data on the availability for open parking spots could not be transmitted using this system due to limited GPS satellite capacities.
Thus, an original signal is required in order to relay information regarding empty parking spots to the parking devices. An original signal is feasible because there already is a need for a wireless signal to be transmitted from the meters to the central hub within the system. This development only requires that the receiving tower (or towers) function as transmitters of data as well and wide-band the availability data to drivers in the metropolitan area. In the current theoretical model, two small bands of wireless signal would need to be leased from the FCC. One band of wireless signal would be for transmitting the availability data from the tower, and the other for the meters to relay the data to the tower (Refer to Appendix B). Research proves this is relatively easier to do and employ in the design then the GPS satellite method.
Furthermore, the data hub will also be relatively easy to implement. Simply, a program is required to be written to track which spots are available, and how much time remains on each individual meter. Then the program would be able to transmit that data through the tower, and alert the proper authorities when an individual overstays their allotted time. The information and resources to create this system are currently available, making this design well within the realm of feasibility. All that is left is to do is simply construct it.
DiscussionAnyone who has driven in a city for any extended period of time would be able to attest to the many benefits of such a device. Finding parking within a matter of two minutes as opposed to twenty minutes not only saves gas, but also prevents unnecessary stress. In an urban city like Philadelphia, studies prove that it is an unchangeable truth that a large amount of people will continue to drive regardless of other means of transportation. The desired solution system will simply make driving a much more pleasant task than it currently is, as well as abbreviate the amount of time and difficulty it causes most motorists.
Social BenefitsLikewise, this system has many benefits socially. With a reduced number of drivers on the road both native and foreign to the area, it can be expected that the number of accidents will decline. Due to the shortened driving time and increase in alert drivers on the road, bouts of road rage associated with the stress of driving and parking will be reduced. Also, the added ease of managing city-owned parking spaces would help parking management officials track violators more efficiently. This would also be especially appreciated by the parking officials when the weather is hazardous.
Negating Potential NegativesConsequently, it could be argued that a system fashioned after the desired design would encourage more people to drive in the city. However, the research associated with this project demonstrates that those individuals most likely to utilize the system would be those that already must drive into the city, forced by factors beyond their control. For example, contractors that must take all their equipment with them, or business professionals who need the constant availability of a vehicle that can take them wherever they need to go, at any time. Nowadays, even the “average” person owns a car, and relies on it heavily to get to most of the places they need to go. Although there may exist a small population of people who would be encouraged to drive as a result of the system, that additional volume would be negated. The amount of encouraged drivers would be insignificant compared to the overall amount of time the system reduces.
CostsDespite all of these benefits, this system cannot be constructed and implemented without cost. Updating each unit with necessary devices has a projected cost of less than a quarter of a million dollars. There are currently 15,000 parking meters in the city of Philadelphia (Cella 4). The cost per unit of each infrared detection sensor product by Sharp is $16.50 (Acroname Robotics 1). Multiply this cost by the number of meters, and the projected cost becomes $247,500. Also, with less than an hour’s time to update each meter, the installation cost per unit is less than $10 each. The cost of maintenance for a central data tower is $18,000 a year (Steinberg 11). For a metropolitan bureau, the updating and installation cost is agreeable. Setting up a tracking and transmitting center (or centers) will also present a sizeable portion of the system’s cost. However, with those two costly areas covered, the system demands little more investment, and produces a high return. Depending on the hourly rates and revenue gained from the increase of apprehension of violators, it is possible that the system could pay for itself in a matter of weeks. This conclusion was determined from the fact that in about a year’s time ranging from 2004 go 2005, the city of Philadelphia collected about $114 million in parking fines (Cella 4).
Technologically, this system is quite feasible, and could be constructed using devices and systems that are already in place today. The sensors in the meters are infrared beams, which are currently used in many applications as distance and presence sensors. The basis of cellular communication technology is a wireless communication within a net of mobile devices sends information to a central station. This system can be reproduced in a slightly simpler fashion quite easily. The only area that might require more research is integrating the system with mobile devices that do not meet the current requirements for full service.
Recommendations for Future WorkShould one wish to research further within the field of study associated with this solution- consider pursuing the following guidelines. If the proposed solution is successful, as predicted, a separate software package should be made available to consumers who already have GPS ready PDA devices wishing to additionally have parking meter navigation. The marketing of a lone software package will appeal to those who already are technologically advanced. By creating an independent device to transmit the parking information, as the desired solution proposes, consumers without GPS or internet capabilities can purchase a device that is all inclusive to keep setup and retail simple. Also, there should be further consideration including features which would supplement the current proposed solution. An interactive reservation feature could be implemented. Such that, a client may be able to select and “reserve” an available parking spot on the interactive device’s screen that is near to one’s destination. This selection would remove the available parking spot plot from other device users’ screens immediately. Limitations should be set on the distance from a given parking spot that a client is capable to reserve a spot. Parallel to these considerations, a few alternative methods of paying for parking within the Philadelphia area should be investigated, such as smart cards and automated car tracking within the city. Another feasible option for future work includes making private enterprise parking facilities visible on the device database. This would require collaboration with private parking lots to give the device network permission to broadcast available private parking spots to clients. When implementing any future work, one should keep in mind the criteria for the solution, and the ideal goal of improving parking and transportation conditions within the city of Philadelphia.
References
This diagram outlines how the municipal and personal devices and systems interact to form our overall solution. The GPS Satellite emits its L1 signal, which is used by the driver’s device to plot its position on Earth. The parking meters, each equipped with infrared sensors and wireless transmitters, send their availability data to a communication tower, which relays said data to a data server. The server tracks the status of all managed spots, and sends the information on which spots are taken back to the communication tower, which then widebands that data to be received by driver devices.
Appendix B
This diagram illustrates how the layered approach to data viewing will work on our device. The GPS position will be plotted on the pre-loaded map data, with the spot data of available spots being displayed as well. Much like adding transparencies on top of each other, the pieces of data, when viewed simultaneously, makes a complete and helpful picture.
Appendix C
Survey Results are as follows:
Question 1: How often do you or your family drive into Philadelphia?
| Travel Time | Daily | Weekly | Monthly |
| Responses | 48 | 30 | 33 |
Question 2: How long do you spend trying to find a parking spot in the city once you have reached your destination?
| Time Interval (Minutes) | 1-5 | 5-10 | 10-15 | 15-20 | 20+ |
| Responses | 3 | 15 | 39 | 21 | 33 |
Question 3: Would you be interested in purchasing a product or service that helps you find a parking spot in the city?
| Response | Total |
| Yes | 96 |
| No | 15 |
Question 4: How often do you have to utilize other methods of transportation over automobiles because of difficulty finding parking?
| Reponse | 0-5% | 6-15% | 16-30% | 31-50% | 51-70% | 71-100% |
| Total | 57 | 24 | 12 | 15 | 3 | 0 |