Meeting_Body
PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE
JUNE 15, 2016
Subject/Action
SUBJECT: PARKING GUIDANCE SYSTEM
ACTION: AWARD CONTRACT
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
CONSIDER authorizing the Chief Executive Officer to:
A. AWARD a five-year firm fixed price Contract No. PS527590024649 to Parking Sense USA in the amount of $3,599,934 for a Parking Guidance System; and
B. APPROVE a $2,000,000 Life of Project (LOP) Budget increase for Project 210143-Parking Guidance System which increases the project budget from $3,025,000 to a revised LOP of $5,025,000.
Issue
ISSUE
Metro currently operates 84 parking facilities at 54 Metro stations throughout Los Angeles County. Parking occupancy data is collected manually and there is no capacity to broadcast parking availability to transit patrons. As part of a broader set of efforts to manage parking demand and improve customer service, and as an early stage project in the Supportive Transit Parking Program Master Plan, the Parking Management Team has procured a Parking Guidance System (PGS). Funds for the PGS at Metro-owned parking facilities along 22 transit stations were approved in the FY16- FY18 capital budget for a total of $3,025,000. Staff is recommending implementing the system at up to 84 Metro parking facilities (across 54 stations), which requires an increase in the capital budget. The recommended actions in this Board report will (1) approve a contract with Parking Sense USA for the purchase and installation of the PGS system; and (2) increase the Life of Project budget by $2,000,000, to include all Metro-owned parking facilities. If approved, the PGS project will be implemented over three years.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
Background
Based on a recent survey conducted by Metro consultants, 65% of transit patrons who park and ride arrive to a Metro parking facility by 8:00 am. Eighty percent (80%) of park and ride transit patrons stated that it takes them up to six minutes to find a parking space. Other parking surveys also indicated that transit patrons who cannot find a parking space within six minutes will leave the facility, find other parking alternatives or drive directly to their destination.
Metro Parking Management’s current practice of manually obtaining parking occupancy data is labor intensive, expensive, and difficult to gather on a consistent and ongoing basis. The data collection is focused on peak hours versus at multiple times during the day, leaving the data set incomplete. More importantly, when occupancy data is collected, Metro does not have the capability to broadcast the parking space availability information to our transit riders. Patrons that park and ride at heavily utilized parking facilities end up circulating the parking lot, sometimes multiple lots, adding time and frustration to their commutes.
The Parking Guidance System (PGS) Project
The implementation of a PGS offers an innovative, technology-based parking solution that serves two key objectives, to: (1) obtain car count data that supports parking demand management and long term planning; and (2) improve customer service by broadcasting parking space availability on a real-time basis through a variety of electronic media, including mobile apps, website, programmable electronic signs and email.
The proposed PGS will install technology that provides real-time parking space occupancy status for each parking stall. It is enhanced with electronic, programmable monument signs at each facility and related technology to broadcast the parking occupancy data through mobile apps, a website, and emails. The monument signs will display the real-time available parking spaces making it easy for our patrons to determine if there is parking available prior to entering the facility. When the parking facility has reached capacity, the programmable monument sign will display a “FULL” message and then direct patrons to the closest parking facility with availability. The data collected by the PGS will also enhance Metro’s ability to analyze parking data and develop algorithms for parking management modeling. This data will support short and long term transit planning needs as well as parking modeling for future transit stations.
The PGS Program Objectives are to:
• Broadcast real-time parking occupancy to transit patrons via electronic media and programmable message signs at each Metro operates parking facility.
• Reduce transit patron’s travel time searching for an open parking space.
• Obtain accurate parking occupancy data and analytics through a single point system on a real-time basis.
• Identify vehicle over-stay to enhance parking enforcement capability.
The PGS will be installed at up to 84 parking facilities across 54 Metro transit stations with a total of approximately 25,000 parking spaces, serving over four million park and ride vehicles per year.
Project Budget and Workscope
The PGS System is currently an approved capital project with a Life of Project (LOP) budget of $3,025,000 to address a defined workscope of 22 transit stations. Since approval of the LOP two years ago, Parking Management staff has developed a comprehensive approach for the project and recommends expansion of the workscope to ultimately include up to 84 Metro-operated facilities. With the proposed recommendations, the revised LOP budget adds 32 new Metro-owned transit stations to the original program, including the parking facilities at the recently opened Gold Line Foothill extension and Expo Phase 2 parking facilities. The new recommended LOP represents an increase of $2,000,000, for a total of $5,025,000 and the revised workscope to include Metro-owned parking facilities at 54 transit stations.
The project will be implemented in phases over a three year period with the first phase starting in FY17. The selected Contractor will provide installation of equipment and five years of operation and maintenance support for the project.
The Selected Contractor
Metro received nine proposals for the PGS system and after extensive review and interviews, recommends Parking Sense as the contractor. Parking Sense is an experienced provider of PGS programs and offered the most extensive and cost-effective proposal. Major contract tasks include:
• Install vehicle detection equipment at each location.
• Install communication infrastructure at each location.
• Install monument signs displaying occupancy at each location.
• Export and broadcast real-time occupancy to website and mobile applications.
• Provide Metro with back-end office software/web access for all locations.
• Provide five years of communication and maintenance service support.
Determination_Of_Safety_Impact
DETERMINATION OF SAFETY IMPACT
Once implemented, the PGS will improve the safety of patrons by reducing the time transit patrons circulate to find parking, or speeding to get to their destination on time. The project will also reduce congestion near the stations since patrons can choose a parking facility prior to arriving to the station. Reducing frustration and rushing while driving will improve safety for both drivers and pedestrians near transit facilities. The project will also improve the safety of patrons walking or bicycling to the station due to the reduction of cars trying to enter the station and parking facility.
Financial_Impact
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Upon approval of recommendation B, the LOP will increase $2,000,000 from its original $3,025,000 budget to $5,025,000 total LOP budget which allows for execution of recommendation A. Funding will be included under Project 210143-Parking Guidance System Project, Cost Center 3046-Countywide Planning and Development, Account 53102-Equipment Acquisition and Account 50316-Professional and Technical Services.
Since this is a multi-year project, the Chief Planning Officer, Project Manager and Cost Center Manager will be responsible and accountable for budgeting in future fiscal years.
Impact to Budget
The source of funds for the recommendations will come from Proposition C 40%, which is eligible for bus/rail operating and capital expenses. It is anticipated that data collected from the PGS efforts will enhance Metro’s ability to optimize pricing strategies and maximize parking revenues to offset some of the cost associated of the system. Staff will continue to actively pursue other eligible funding sources as they become available to replace the identified funds. No other funds were considered.
Alternatives_Considered
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED
The Board may choose not to award the contract to Parking Sense USA, and may select another proposer or direct reissuance of a new procurement for Metro’s first PGS. These alternatives are not recommended as staff has selected the most qualified and cost effective proposal based on a highly competitive procurement. The Board may decide not to pursue the implementation of the PGS at all. This is not recommended as this would go against the directive by the Metro Board to develop innovative technological solutions to enhance the transit riders’ experience and improve access to transit. It will also diminish Metro’s ability to actively manage parking demand and improve the customer experience for park and ride patrons.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
Upon approval by the Board, staff will execute Contract No. PS52759002464 with Parking Sense USA and initiate implementation of the PGS project. Implementation of the PGS system will occur over a three year period. Staff will report to the Board once a roll-out plan is finalized.
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - Procurement Summary
Attachment B - DEOD Summary
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Adela Felix, Transportation Planning Manager, (213) 922-4333
Frank Ching, Director of Parking Management, (213) 922-3033
Jenna Hornstock, Deputy Executive Officer, (213) 922-7437
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by: Ivan Page, Interim Executive Director, Vendor/Contract Management
(213) 922-6383
Therese W. McMillan, Chief Planning Officer, (213) 922-7077
