Foreword

The Federal Highway Administration sponsored the research project, Parking Cruising Analysis Methodology, to develop a methodology to detect parking cruising. Cruising vehicles—motorists circling or cruising for on-street parking that is free or priced below market equilibrium—can contribute to additional congestion, air pollution, time wasted, driver frustration, and a potential loss of economic competitiveness at destinations where parking is hard to find and where alternative access modes do not exist. With increased sensitivity to the need for curb management, there is a need to better understand the prevalence of cruising for parking.

This report documents a methodology and tool that can be used by municipalities and other interested parties to understand cruising for parking and the effects of policy interventions on parking search behaviors. It also includes case analyses from four U.S. cities. The cases illustrate a range of applications, such as identifying cruising hot spots—by both time of day and location—and assessing policy impacts.

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