Smart Parking Garage: Concept of Operations and User Benefits

In this paper, the concept of Smart Parking Garage (SPG) is formally introduced. The SPG is a garage that makes use of sensors, dynamic message signs, smartphone applications, and a computer server connected to form a smart system. The concept of operations, including functional requirements, equipment, relationships with the U.S. National Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) architecture, and a typical use case of an SPG are described. To assess the benefit of an SPG compared to a conventional garage, a five-level garage was selected, and the search times to park in 22 selected spaces were measured by a test vehicle. The results showed that SPG reduced the median search time by 35 seconds. The level of service improved from an approximately equal split of As and Bs to all As. The economic benefit of SPG is also illustrated through an example.