Page 12 - spaces4learning, November/December 2019

spaces4learning FACILITIES
CAMPUS
PARKING
TRENDS
New technologies are available that are making campus
parking more user-friendly and manageable, which is beneficial to operations and the bottom line.
By Bill Smith
PARKING CAN BE A HEADACHE FOR COLLEGES AND universities. It’s not always easy to provide convenient parking to potentially thousands of students, faculty, staff, and visitors day after day. However, in recent years, a number of new technolo- gies have been introduced to make parking more user-friendly and manageable, and campuses have benefited greatly from these advances.
When it comes to parking technology and campus parking, the name of the game is convenience. Recent advances to access and revenue control equipment, parking guidance, license plate recognition, and mobile payment have been game-changers for colleges and universities.
Technology Trends
According to David Lieb, national director of Higher Ed Mo- bility Planning for Walker Consultants, colleges and universities are turning to technology to make parking more virtual and less frustrating.
“Many are installing technologies that make the license plate the parking credential,” says Lieb. “For instance, colleges are in- stalling license plate recognition (LPR) technology at entrances and exits. LPR cameras can be attached to access gate systems or stand alone, and when drivers enter the parking facility, the system recognizes the plate and associates it with the appropriate permit.”
Photo credit shablovskyistock
Virtual systems like this eliminate the need for hang tags, which can save an institution thousands of dollars that would otherwise go to purchasing those credentials, and replacing them when, inevitably, they get lost. Vehicle-mounted LPR cameras can be used for more efficient enforcement, allowing campuses to do a better job protecting spaces for those who have properly paid. LPR costs have come down significantly in recent years, which has made the technology more attractive.
Parking guidance is another popular parking technology on campuses across the U.S. Guidance systems utilize sensors that monitor whether parking spaces are available or occupied and transmit that information to LED signs located at parking fa- cility entrances and on aisles. The signs let drivers know exactly how many spaces are available in a facility as well as on individual floors, and that information is transmitted in real time.
“Colleges and universities love parking guidance technology because it makes parking more efficient to find, so students and teachers aren’t late for their classes,” says David Waal, executive
12 NOV/DEC 2019