Between 2011 and 2013 the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) implemented the SFpark pilot project, which used in-ground sensors and new parking meters to collect real-time data so parking prices could be adjusted based on occupancy.
The sensors were costly to implement and had a short operational life. However, San Francisco upgraded all of its parking meters to collecting payment data as part of SFpark. Thus, while occupancy data is no longer available, payment data is still available. The SFMTA analyzed sensor and meter data collected during the SFpark pilot and developed a sensor-independent rate adjustment (SIRA) model estimating parking occupancy using meter payment data, enabling demand-responsive pricing policies without large-scale sensor installations. This report describes how the SIRA model works and compares its results with data from the SFpark pilot period when parking spaces were equipped with sensors.
Between 2011 and 2013 the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) implemented the SFpark pilot project, which used in-ground sensors and new parking meters to collect real-time data so parking prices could be adjusted based on occupancy. The sensors had a short operational life. However, all parking meters were upgraded to those collecting payment data. Thus, while occupancy data is no longer available, payment data from all parking meters is still available. Sensor and meter data collected during the SFpark pilot were used to develop a sensor-independent rate adjustment (SIRA) model that estimates parking occupancy using meter payment data, which enables demand-responsive pricing policies without large-scale sensor installations.
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