Pricing Parking at a Premium

On Tuesday, San Francisco's MUNI approved a pilot program to price 6,000 of the city's parking spots according to popularity.

1 minute read

November 21, 2008, 10:00 AM PST

By Tim Halbur

"(W)hile the worst locales will go cheaply - as little as a quarter - a handful of premium parking spots will be worth $18 an hour, or nearly a pound of quarters.

Other cities have dabbled in such pricing, but Nathaniel P. Ford Sr., executive director of the transportation agency, said San Francisco's plan - due to start in the spring with the aid of new meters, sensors and $18.4 million in federal financing - would place the city at the forefront of parking technology. Mr. Ford cited the various benefits it would reap, including reducing congestion and carbon emissions from circling cars and ensuring pedestrians are not sideswiped by parking-obsessed drivers.

'It's an exciting time,' said Mr. Ford, who also pointed to advances in payment technology, including the ability to buy parking time with a cellphone."

FULL STORY: A Costly City Tries Pricing Its Parking by Popularity

Wednesday, November 19, 2008 in The New York Times

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