The Manager's report back on the installation of additional metered parking spots in business districts that do not currently have parking meters

Subject: Awaiting Report 19-44 - Additional Parking Meters

This memorandum is in response to Policy Order #1 from the April 8, 2019 City Council Meeting (Awaiting Report #19-44), requesting that the Traffic, Parking, and Transportation install more metered parking in business districts that do not currently have parking meters. The City currently has approximately 3, 100 parking meters installed in locations around Cambridge, typically in major and minor business districts and along commercial corridors. The primary reason to install parking meters is to support local businesses by promoting parking turnover through the economic incentive of paid parking, as well as to generate revenue to support a variety of City programs. There is significant evidence that metered parking helps support economic development and vitality, most notably in the book The High Cost of Free Parking, written by Professor Donald Shoup from the University of California Los Angeles. As a result, we are always open to looking at new areas for metered parking, particularly where those meters help support local small businesses and the ability of local residents to access those businesses. The clearest areas to look at for installing additional parking meters are locations where we currently have time-limited parking without meters. Although time limits alone can encourage parking turnover, they do not provide an economic incentive for parkers to move their vehicles, which then leads to additional enforcement challenges. This type of change is currently being planned on Sidney Street in the vicinity of Emily Street and Erie Street, where we are working to install parking meters along an existing segment of two-hour, unmetered parking. The areas noted below are additional locations in Cambridge that currently have time- limited parking but that do not have meters, where we could consider installing meters. • Huron Avenue from approximately Lakeview Avenue to Fayerweather Street (Huron Village). This is the most significant business district in Cambridge that does not currently have parking meters, but the local businesses have generally not been supportive of installing meters along this section of Huron Avenue (including during discussions prior to the reconstruction of Huron Avenue as part of the major sewer separation projects). Based on this past history, we would not move forward with installing TRAFFIC, PARKING, + TRANSPORTATION | JOSEPH E. BARR, DIRECTOR Page 1 of 2 344 Broadway, Suite 102, Cambridge, MA 02139 [phone removed] | cambridgema.gov/traffic meters in this segment of Huron Avenue unless the local businesses are supportive. • Broadway from Columbia Street to Norfolk Street. This is a small business district along Broadway, which is home to several local small businesses that attract customers from both the local neighborhood and elsewhere in the city. Since the Metric Systems building was converted into Lamplighter Brewery, activity in this area has increased, and it may now be a candidate for additional meters, subject to discussions with the local businesses. Waverly Street from Putnam Avenue to Erie Street. Although this is not a typical business district, this is an area with significant commercial activity associated with the office and lab buildings in this area of Lower Cambridgeport. Installing meters along this corridor would also be consistent with the meters currently in place on Albany Street closer to Massachusetts Avenue. • Mount Auburn Street from Hawthorn Street to Gibson Street. The south side of this segment of Mount Auburn Street is currently unmetered two-hour parking, while the north side is resident permit parking only. Proposals have been made in the past to add meters at this location, but there have been some concerns expressed, including the potential the visual impact of the meters on the view towards the Charles River (though this could now be mitigated through the use of parking pay stations). Although this area is not a business district, it does provide parking for those visiting Mount Auburn Hospital, as well as for anyone who is visiting this section of the Charles River for recreational purposes. It is also important to note that with advances in meter technology, we have significant additional flexibility in how we operate our meters, including the ability to charge differential rates by time of the day, day of the week, and duration of stay, as well as to vary the time limit by time of the day or day of the week. We are very interested in continuing to discuss the options for expanding metered parking locations with the Cambridge community, and therefore welcome the opportunity to receive feedback on this topic from the City Council. TRAFFIC, PARKING, + TRANSPORTATION | JOSEPH E. BARR, DIRECTOR Page 2 of 2 344 Broadway, Suite 102, Cambridge, MA 02139 [phone removed] | cambridgema.gov/traffic