COMMUTER PARKING AT HIGHWAY INTERCHANGES

DATA COLLECTED AT 55 INTERCHANGES IN 7 STATES WERE ANALYZED ON THE EXTENT OF USE AND POTENTIAL DEMAND FOR PARKING AT INTERCHANGES FOR THE PURPOSE OF EITHER CAR POOLING OR TRANSFERRING TO TRANSIT. THE SURVEY INDICATED THAT THE GREATEST INCIDENCE OF COMMUTER PARKING IN INTERCHANGE AREAS OCCURRED PRIMARILY IN URBANIZED NORTHEASTERN AND MIDDLE-ATLANTIC SECTIONS OF THIS COUNTRY. THE NUMBER OF CARS PARKED FOR TRANSFER TO TRANSIT WAS GREATER THAN FOR TRANSFER TO CAR POOL, BUT CAR POOLERS WERE PARKED AT MANY MORE INTERCHANGES. THE AVERAGE TRIP LENGTH FOR A CAR POOL WAS 42 MILES AS COMPARED WITH 5 TO 10 MILES FOR AN URBAN WORK TRIP. THE PRINCIPAL REASONS GIVEN BY CAR POOLERS FOR PARKING IN INTERCHANGE AREAS WERE OVERALL TRIP COST, TRIP LENGTH, AND COMPANIONSHIP; WHEREAS THOSE PARKED FOR TRANSIT RIDING RATED TRAFFIC CONGESTION, PARKING COST AT THEIR ULTIMATE DESTINATION AND OVERALL TRIP COST IN THAT ORDER OF IMPORTANCE. THE LEGAL QUESTIONS WHICH APPLY TO SUPPLYING COMMUTER PARKING AT INTERCHANGES ARE (1) WHETHER LAND ACQUIRED FOR HIGHWAY PURPOSES CAN BE USED FOR COMMUTER PARKING, AND (2) THE EXTENT OF PUBLIC LIABILITY FOR TORT CLAIMS. THE ANALYSIS SHOWS FOR THE FIRST PROBLEM, THAT EXCESS HIGHWAY AND STREET RIGHT-OF-WAY CAN BE USED FOR COMMUTER PARKING; AND FOR THE SECOND PROBLEM, THAT THE DATA COLLECTED HERE INDICATES A TREND AWAY FROM SOVERIGN IMMUNITY. THEREFORE, IT IS ADVISABLE THAT A STATE OR LOCAL AGENCY CARRY LIABILITY INSURANCE FOR ANY COMMUTER FACILITIES WHICH IT MAY DEVELOP AT INTERCHANGES. OTHER FINDINGS INDICATE A NEED IN INTERCHANGE AREAS FOR PARKING FACILITIES IN CONNECTION WITH BUS SERVICE TO HELP REDUCE CONGESTION ON FREEWAY AREAS NEAR DOWNTOWN, AND THE USE OF EXCESS RIGHT- OF-WAY WHERE FEASIBLE FOR THE PROVISION OF PARKING FACILITIES FOR CAR POOLERS. IN VERY FEW CASES, WOULD THE NEED FOR TRANSIT-ORIENTED PARKING EXCEED 100-200 SPACES; AND THE NEED FOR CAR POOL PARKING SPACE WOULD BE ONLY 50 SPACES OR UNDER. SOME SIGNIFICANT USE OF AVAILABLE COMMERCIAL AND INSTITUTIONAL PARKING SPACE NEAR INTERCHANGES IS BEING MADE. HOWEVER, THIS IS A POTENTIAL USE WHICH NEEDS MORE DEVELOPMENT. AREAS HAVING A COMBINATION OF HIGH CBD PARKING COSTS AND EXISTING CONGESTION ON CBD APPROACH ROUTES OFFER THE GREATEST POTENTIAL FOR A SUCCESSFUL TRANSIT-FRINGE PARKING DEMONSTRATION. HOWEVER, CAR POOL PARKERS ARE NOT USUALLY DESTINED FOR THE CBD. THE PROVISION OF THESE PARKING FACILITIES SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE STATE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT OR LOCAL AGENCY IN THE PLANNING STAGE OF THE INTERCHANGE AND FREEWAY. IT WAS FOUND THAT IN SOME STATES LEGISLATION NEEDS TO BE PROVIDED FOR SUCH PARKING. /FHWA/

• Corporate Authors:

  Barton-Aschman Associates, Incorporated

  820 Davis Street
  Evanston, IL  United States  60204

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Publication Date: 1970-3

Media Info

• Pagination: 112 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bus transportation; Carpools; Central business districts; Commuters; Commuting; Costs; Interchanges; Legal factors; Legislation; Parking; Parking demand; Public transit; Traffic congestion; Travel time
• Uncontrolled Terms: Right of way
• Old TRIS Terms: Enabling legislation; Fringe area
• Subject Areas: Finance; Highways; Law; Motor Carriers; Operations and Traffic Management; Passenger Transportation; Public Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00224948
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Federal Highway Administration
• Contract Numbers: DOT-FH-11-6956
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Jul 14 1970 12:00AM