ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses various factors that affect parking demand and parking requirements. Many parking management strategies make use of these factors to increase efficiency and reduce the supply of parking needed at a particular location. Parking demand is affected by a facility's location, type, and design, and by how this compares with other nearby options. Demand is highest for the most convenient and visible spaces. Parking demand varies from one geographic area to another. Residents of communities with more diverse transportation systems tend to own fewer cars and take fewer vehicle trips than in more automobile-dependent areas, and people working in such areas commute more by alternative modes. A comprehensive parking and mobility management program can often reduce parking requirements by 20 to 40 percent. Parking requirements per employee decline as commercial areas become more compact and multimodal. Parking demand has daily, weekly, and annual cycles, plus long-term trends.
