Title
Recommendation to Endorse the Ferry Terminal Parking Pricing Strategy. (Action)
Body
Transportation Commission Special Meeting
12/7/2022
Item 6B
Background
Parking management and pricing is an effective tool for reducing congestion, supporting transit, and encouraging active forms of transportation such as walking and bicycling. Alameda operates parking lots at three ferry terminals, having taken over management from WETA in July 2021.
Multiple City of Alameda (City) adopted plans call for paid parking at ferry terminals to meet City goals related to mode shift and greenhouse gas emissions reduction, and to help ensure available parking for ferry riders. These include the General Plan (2021), Transportation Choices Plan (2018), and the Alameda Point Transportation Management Plan (2014). In addition, the Climate Action and Resiliency Plan (2019) includes parking management as a key strategy to reduce emissions from the single occupancy vehicle trips. The enclosed strategy (Exhibit 1) seeks to implement these plans.
Discussion
The Ferry Terminal Parking Pricing Strategy (Exhibit 1) proposes to:
Reduce commute hour drive alone trips.
At weekday commuter-oriented ferry terminals (Harbor Bay and Seaplane Lagoon), set a low, baseline $3/day parking fee to incentivize people to avoid driving alone to the ferry terminal, but without pushing them to avoid the ferry altogether, starting in spring 2023. Charge for parking by the hour or day (no monthly parking permit) to encourage people to take non-driving modes when convenient.
Maintain parking availability for ferry riders.
Modify parking prices incrementally based on demand. At limited intervals (on a quarterly basis at most), shift parking rates up by $1.00/day if the parking lot is 90% full after last morning ferry, and reduce the rate by $1.00/day if the parking lot is 60% occupied or lower. Do not begin paid parking at the Main Street ferry terminal until parking occupancies reach 85% two quarters in a row (currently 20% full on weekdays).
Ferry ridership is improving and the parking lots are starting to fill: a November count found Harbor Bay terminal was 88% full and Seaplane Lagoon 80% full. With this occupancy, staff recommend implementing paid parking this spring at Seaplane Lagoon (in order to support pilot AC Transit Line 78) and later at Harbor Bay Ferry Terminal.
This pricing structure starts at a low baseline. The recommended $3/day rate is on the low end of nearby transit lots with paid parking and is designed to ensure that the ferry is still a competitive option compared to driving to BART or all the way to San Francisco (see Figures 5 and 6 in Exhibit 1). After the low baseline fee, this strategy uses demand-responsive pricing to ensure spaces remain open until the last morning ferry. Shifting parking prices based on demand is an established best practice utilized by cities like Berkeley, Oakland, and San Francisco.
To promote equitable access, the City should consider creating a needs-based low-income daily parking pass program, and implement such a program whenever feasible. It should not allow daily parking rates to rise above $7/day unless such a program is established.
WETA and AC Transit Coordination
The City is coordinating closely with WETA and AC Transit on this project. On October 12, staff gave a ferry terminal parking pricing update to the City of Alameda-AC Transit Interagency Liaison Committee (ILC). WETA and AC Transit staff input shaped the following provisions in the strategy:
• Mode of access section utilizing WETA data
• Fall parking occupancy count to show increases over summer usage
• Overflow parking lot plan for the Seaplane Lagoon Ferry Terminal
• Description of uses of revenues
• Further description of payment methods, including focus on mobile payment option
• Descriptions of active transportation facilities to ferry terminals, with a reference to improvements planned with the final draft Active Transportation Plan
Financial Impact
With paid parking, all revenues and expenses for these parking lots will be managed in the City’s Parking Fund. The revenue/cost estimate included in Exhibit 1 shows the following net income for this parking pricing strategy:
• Seaplane Lagoon year 1 net (includes up-front costs): $40,700
• Seaplane Lagoon year 2+ net: $153,200 per year
• Harbor Bay year 1 net: $41,100
• Harbor Bay year 2+ net: $67,000 per year
Municipal Code/Policy Document Cross Reference
The 2021 Alameda General Plan calls for demand-responsive parking pricing at all ferry terminals (ME-23 b), and for prices aimed at meeting an 85% parking occupancy goal in on-street parking and surface lots (ME-21 a and c). The 2018 Transportation Choices Plan Projects also calls for paid parking at ferry terminals (projects 5 & 6) and demand-responsive parking pricing at paid parking citywide (project 7). Alameda Municipal Code 12-4.5 also enables parking rate changes to support parking occupancy goals.
This strategy is consistent with the 2019 Climate Action and Resiliency Plan, the 2018 Transportation Choices Plan. The Alameda Point Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Plan (2014) states that public parking should not be free on Alameda Point and requires the City to charge for off-street parking lots and garages. The Alameda Point Conceptual Planning Guide (2013) says the parking program should incentivize the use of alternative modes of transportation including public transit, shuttles, biking, and walking.
Alameda Municipal Code (AMC) Chapter 8 contains parking prohibitions and Chapter 12 covers public parking regulations and use of the parking fund. California Vehicle Code section 22500 et seq. regulates stopping, standing, and parking of vehicles.
Environmental Review
In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), this project is Categorically Exempt pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301(c) Existing Facilities and 15303 (new construction of small structures) and 15183 Projects consistent with a General Plan.
Recommendation
Staff recommend that the Transportation Commission endorse the ferry terminal parking pricing strategy.
Respectfully submitted by,
Lisa Foster
Senior Transportation Coordinator
Exhibit(s)
1. Alameda Ferry Terminal Draft Parking Pricing Strategy
2. WETA Harbor Bay and Richmond Ferry Terminal Parking Program Draft Final Report (2015)