The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency will be changing the rates at some parking meters around the city later this month, the first adjustments since it started a pilot program to track real-time parking data, an agency spokesman said today.
SFpark, a two-year pilot program unveiled last year, collects information from meters and sensors embedded in the street about where parking was available.
Starting at an undetermined date later this month, the SFMTA will begin changing the rates, with higher rates for more crowded neighborhoods and lower ones for areas with more empty spots, spokesman Paul Rose said.
About 31 percent of the rates will be going up–by no more than 25 cents per hour–while 37 percent are staying the same and 32 percent will be decreasing by no more than 50 cents.
The rates, which range from $1.75 per hour to $3.75 per hour, vary from block to block, by time of day, and by whether it is a weekday or weekend, Rose said.
The program includes the Civic Center, Hayes Valley, Financial District, South of Market, Mission, Fisherman’s Wharf, Fillmore and Marina neighborhoods. It covers roughly a quarter of the city’s 28,800 parking meters and more than 12,000 spaces in 15 of its city-owned garages.
In the Fisherman’s Wharf area, the rates are going down either 25 cents or 50 cents per hour for most weekday hours, and are increasing for most city blocks in the neighborhood after noon on weekends.
Conversely, the hourly rates will be increasing for most streets in the Financial District during weekdays, but most will be decreasing on the weekends.
The rates will not be changed more than once a month and in increments of no more than 50 cents per hour.
SFMTA officials say the demand-based pricing, combined with the information drivers can use to see where spots are, will reduce energy use and pollution from cars circling a block in search of parking.
The program received 80 percent of its funding from a $19.4 million federal grant.
For the full lists and accompanying maps of where the rates are changing, visit www.sfpark.org/rates.
Dan McMenamin, Bay City News
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