[May 24, 2013] New technology makes parking easier in South Florida Tweet May 25, 2013 (Sun Sentinel - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- In the near future, hunting around for a parking space will be so passe. Just a quick check of a smart phone application will tell you in real-time where there are available parking spaces, how much it costs to park there and what the time limits are. On top of that, a map can guide you back to your vehicle just in case you forgot where you parked. Already, Fort Lauderdale is testing out this concept near the Florida Atlantic University campus using the Parker smart phone app. It's just one of the many innovations hitting the parking industry as an increased focus on technology is transforming how people find and pay for parking. That technology will also help crack down on parking scofflaws and make parking more "green" or sustainable. "The technology that we're looking at has really gone crazy in Europe," said Brian McKelligett, with Fort Lauderdale's transportation and mobility department. "It's just now gaining in the U.S." A multitude of these emerging parking trends were on display earlier this week during the International Parking Institute's Conference and Expo at the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center. Parking professionals from across the country searched for alternatives to make parking more efficient and customer friendly. "You've got to find alternatives," said Roamy Valera of Miramar, a vice president for Standard Parking that manages parking for several South Florida cities. "You don't continue to build, but manage what you have." And technology can help do that, say parking professionals. For instance, some parking garages across the country now have electronic message boards that show how many parking spaces are available on each level. That's something Fort Lauderdale is very interested in implementing, McKelligett said. Several South Florida cities, including Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach, already allow patrons to pay for parking using their cell phones. The feature allows people to receive text messages letting them know their time is about to expire and allow them to buy additional time. Now, some cities, including Miami, are focusing on license plate recognition technology that can be used in different ways. For restricted parking facilities that require users to have permits, license plate readers can provide access, doing away with badges or paper permits. License-plate numbers also could be used to pay for parking at meters. Consumers simply type in their license plates at "smart meters" to pay electronically for parking. Or license plates can be used to help people find their cars in parking garages that have sensors and cameras. Terminals could be installed that allow people to type in their license plate number, and the system will tell them on what level and space their vehicles can be found. Delray Beach is on the edge of this new parking technology but hasn't fully embraced it yet, said Scott Aronson, the city's parking facilities manager, who attended the parking conference. The city's has multispace smart meters at beach parking lots that allow digital or electronic payments. Those meters, which are capable of allowing pay-by-phone and pay-by-plate features, will likely expand to State Road A1A and Atlantic Avenue. But those latest payment trends may not be implemented any time soon. "It's still relatively new," he said. "We have to look at our demographics. We have a large older adult population that is less tech savvy." But these latest advances in parking technology are making it easier to enforce parking laws. Smart meters that communicate with embedded sensors in the pavement can tell not only if a vehicle is in that space but also whether someone has paid for that space. The system alerts officials to potential parking violations rather than having employees driving around looking for violations. "It changes it from random enforcement to targeted enforcement," McKelligett said. As the parking industry evolves, it has begun to focus on making parking "greener." "For a long time, parking has been perceived as a problem in terms of sustainability," said Casey Jones, the International Parking Institute's board chairman. "We're turning that around." Fort Lauderdale recently transformed one of its parking lots, the Orchid Lot adjacent to City Hall, into a "green" lot. Smart meters are solar powered. Street lighting is energy efficient. Bicycle racks are available along with charge stations for electric vehicles. And the lot's surface has a special coating that lowers the urban heat effect. [email protected] or 561-243-6537 ___ (c)2013 the Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) Visit the Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) at www.sun-sentinel.com Distributed by MCT Information Services [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]