WASHINGTON — In 2015, the D.C. Department of Transportation will begin a
pilot program to fluctuate parking rates in real-time based on demand for
street parking in Chinatown and Penn Quarter.
Dynamic parking pricing or value pricing is similar to the dynamic tolling on
the 495 and upcoming 95 Express Lanes. While Transurban wants to guarantee a
55 mph trip at all times of day, DDOT wants to guarantee 15-percent of spots
on each block are always open. It means no more circling to find a spot.
There will almost always be at least one or two open spots on each block.
To accomplish this, DDOT will fluctuate parking rates based on demand.
Currently, it costs $2.00 per hour to park in most spots in the city. When
there is a lot of demand to park and not enough spots, DDOT will raise the
rates to more than $2.00 per hour to encourage short trips and quick turnover.
When there is not much demand and plenty of spaces open, DDOT would lower the
rates to below $2.00.
“DDOT is committed to keeping its promise to the residents of the District of
Columbia by delivering innovative projects and engineering that will help
shape the future of transportation in the District,” says DDOT Director Matt
Brown in a news release.
“This is outlined in our moveDC plan, DDOT’s multimodal long-range
transportation plan that is expected to create a city that’s more livable,
sustainable, prosperous and attractive.”
The pilot program will cover 1,300 meters in an area bounded by H Street to E
Street NW, 3rd Street to 12th NW. DDOT will begin putting in new parking
meters early next year, with the dynamic pricing beginning next summer.
DDOT will use sensors and cameras to help determine the demand at any given
time for the spots, then transmit that information to a smartphone app and
mobile website to allow people circling to know exactly where an open spot is
located, how to get there and how much it’ll cost to park.
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