Boston Performance Parking Pilot — Demand-Responsive Meter Pricing Tested in Back Bay and the Seaport

Boston's Office of New Urban Mechanics ran a year-long performance parking pilot in Back Bay and the Seaport to cut congestion, improve road safety and make on-street parking easier to find.
In Back Bay, meter rates rose from $1.25 to $3.75 per hour; in the Seaport rates ranged $1–$4 per hour and were adjusted every two months block by block.
The city reported an 11% increase in available metered spaces and a 14% decrease in double parking in Back Bay, plus 33% fewer illegal loading-zone and 12% fewer illegal resident-spot parkings. Average meter stay fell from 1h22 to 1h08. In the Seaport availability rose only 1%, but illegal parking in resident spots fell 35%.
The results were mixed: residents and service workers (volunteers, home-care aides) reported financial hardship, enforcement gaps on Sundays were noted, and the permanence of rates was questioned. Business owners reported easier customer parking.

Read the full analysis: https://www.boston.gov/news/results-performance-parking-pilot-announced