Heather Curtis
WMAL.com

WASHINGTON – Finding street parking in the Penn Quarter-Chinatown area of the District can be frustrating and sometimes impossible. Monday, some meter fares are changing as part of the second phase of a pilot program designed by the District Department of Transportation to ease traffic congestion through demand-based pricing.

In December, DDOT raised rates during peak periods in popular areas downtown and lowered rates in low demand areas and during less busy times. DDOT’s Soumya Day said in some areas the adjusted pricing was effective. They saw more people park in low demand areas, which is what they wanted to happen.

“There are some blocks where the strategies are kind of working, but they need a little bit more nudge, so in those areas, again, we are just coming back and readjusting the prices,” said Day.

There are five different price points varying from $1.50 to $3.25 an hour based on time of day and popularity of the area. The parking periods are weekday mornings from 7 to 11 a.m., weekday midday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekday evenings from 4 to 10 p.m. and Saturday.

Another part of the program is two apps, parkDC and Voicepark, that help drivers find empty spaces.

“If you can let people know where the available spaces are and what the cost is, people don’t have to circle around the block to find an open space, and in most urban areas that can be a significant contributor to roadway congestion,” Day said.

The apps use sensors and transaction information to record data for DDOT to analyze. The department will be studying how this latest rate adjustment affects parking patterns and will make more changes in the next few months if necessary.

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