Planning for Success

This article. by Kevin White of Walker Consultants and Jamie Snyder of Walter P. Moore, emphasizes the crucial role of strategic planning in the parking and mobility industry, encompassing various aspects such as technology, operations, management, design, and construction. Strategic planning is a collaborative process involving data collection, research, and stakeholder engagement to develop options, make decisions, and create implementation schedules.

This planning phase is essential before design, procurement, installation, and construction to ensure efficient and effective outcomes. The article also discusses common challenges in the industry, such as mismatches between parking supply and demand, access and customer service issues, and the integration of parking in master planning. These issues highlight the importance of considering various factors such as land use, user patterns, and technology during planning to optimize parking systems and improve overall functionality.

It also speaks to the importance of getting a seat at the planning table for parking and mobility professionals. This involvement ensures that the planning process includes appropriate stakeholders and decision-makers, leading to a comprehensive and functional parking system. The article concludes with a call to action for thoughtful and deliberate strategic planning in the industry, emphasizing the need for equitable, efficient, sustainable, and resilient systems and communities. It also invites dialogue and engagement from the IPMI community to share examples of good planning and advice on improving planning processes.