Parking Cruising Analysis Methodology Project Report

DTFH6116D00053L
Cruising vehicles—motorists circling or cruising for on-street parking that is free or priced below market equilibrium—can contribute to additional congestion, air pollution, time wasted, driver frustration, and a potential loss of economic competitiveness at destinations where parking is hard to find and where alternative access modes are limited. With increased sensitivity to the need for curb management, there is a need to better understand the prevalence of cruising for parking. This report documents a methodology and tool that can be used by municipalities and other interested parties to understand cruising for parking and the effects of policy interventions on parking search behaviors. It includes case analyses from four U.S. cities: Washington, DC; Atlanta, Georgia; Chicago, Illinois; and Seattle, Washington. The cases illustrate a range of applications, such as identifying cruising hot spots by time of day and location and assessing policy impacts. The highest rates of cruising were found in Seattle and Chicago where 7.3 and 6.8 percent of trips, respectively, showed some portion as cruising. Overall, the research team found that the level of cruising is consistent across the cities in this analysis, even when using different data sources. The report also documents lessons learned relating to data quality, tool implementation, and the analyses results.