Tired of going around in circles looking for a parking space? Within two or three years, Montreal should launch a new application that could inform motorists of available spaces.
Posted at 5:00 a.m.
Before getting there, new tools will be needed, in particular sensors placed in the ground or in the signs indicating the numbers of the places charged. But the Sustainable Mobility Agency, the paramunicipal company that manages on-street and off-street parking in Montreal, has already started to implement them in a few places.
PHOTO PATRICK SANFAÇON, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
An application from the Sustainable Mobility Agency already makes it possible to pay for on-street parking lots in Montreal.
“We want to develop our mobile application, which has nearly 600,000 active users, to give it many additional features, so that citizens have the right information to plan their trips,” explains Laurent Chevrot, general manager of the agency. , in an interview following a presentation of its annual report to the executive committee of the City of Montreal, Wednesday.
The agency should define by the end of the year what it wants to offer in its new application, then launch a call for tenders in 2023, in order to be able to offer the new tool in 2024, reveals Mr. Chevrot.
Already, the payment data gives some information on the occupation of the paid spaces, but the agency wishes to have even more precise data.
Choose public transport
According to the general manager, better information will allow users to make more informed choices for their journeys. They might decide to take public transit if they are told that parking spaces are scarce in the area they need to go.
“When you look up a public transport route on Google Maps, you’re told how long you’ll have to walk to the bus stop, how long you’ll have to wait for the bus, and how much longer you’ll have to walk. ‘at your destination after the trip, notes Mr. Chevrot. But when you’re looking for a car ride, you’re not told how long you’ll have to circle around to find a parking space and how long you’ll have to walk between your parking lot and your destination. So we end up artificially favoring the car. »
We can make life a lot easier for Montrealers and promote modal shift, because people are currently making their choice without having all the right information.
Laurent Chevrot, Director General of the Sustainable Mobility Agency
As regards unpriced spaces on the street, it could be more difficult to obtain data on their occupancy. But a future mobile application could at least indicate to the motorist if he has the right to park in a certain place, since the signage is sometimes difficult to understand, recognizes Mr. Chevrot.
Another change to be expected in the coming years: parking rates could be adjusted according to demand. The more motorists there are who wish to park at a certain place and at a certain time, the higher the prices will rise.
Pilot projects will be put in place shortly to test this pricing model.
Mobility hubs
The Sustainable Mobility Agency also has plans for off-street municipal parking lots: it wants to make them true “mobility hubs”.
How ? By reserving spaces for different modes of transportation, such as self-service vehicles, BIXIs, bicycles, carpooling and taxis.
“Parking lots are real treasures in the hands of the City,” says Laurent Chevrot. They need to be developed, keeping part of the spaces for parking, but also giving them a function as mobility hubs. »
Agents on electric scooters
During the summer months, more and more parking officers leave the car behind to do their ticket distribution rounds. You will see them more and more on bicycles, on electric bikes and on electric scooters. The Sustainable Mobility Agency has added these vehicles to its fleet with the aim of reducing its ecological footprint. “It was very, very well received by our agents, we have more requests than vehicles available,” says Laurent Chevrot, general manager of the agency. Already, the agency only buys hybrid cars when it needs to replace old vehicles, and soon plans to buy only electric cars. “We are also exploring the possibility of having low-speed vehicles, like golf carts, which are very well suited to surveillance operations since they allow people to stop without blocking the street,” says Mr. Chevrot. We are looking with a Quebec supplier to develop a vehicle that meets our needs. »
On-street and off-street paid parking revenue in Montreal
- 2021: 44.2 million
- 2020: 36.7 million
- 2019: 66.6 million
Source: Sustainable Mobility Agency