Real-Time Parking Technology Being Tested At 6 Commuter Lots: VDOT

WOODBRIDGE, VA — Helping commuters know when parking spots are available is the focus of new technology being tested by the Virginia Department of Transportation.

ParkZen, a smart parking mobile app letting commuters see real-time parking availability at six commuter lots is under an evaluation period, according to VDOT. Commuters can use it to check for unused parking spaces at the Saratoga Park and Ride lot in Springfield, Stringfellow Road Park and Ride lot in Centreville and Horner Road Commuter Lot in Woodbridge. It is also testing at three Virginia Railway Express station parking lots — Backlick Road in Springfield, Brooke Road in Stafford, and Leeland Road in Falmouth.

"Commuters have told us that not knowing whether parking is available at commuter lots is a deterrent to using transit, carpools, vanpools, and slugging," said Amy McElwain, the program manager for VDOT’s Office of Strategic Innovations. "We know that taking the guesswork out of parking makes it easier for commuters to get out of their single-occupant vehicles. However, the challenge has always been finding the resources to install and maintain reliable counting technology."

VDOT is not installing counting equipment at the commuter lots but is instead providing data through the ParkZen app. According to VDOT, "ParkZen passively collects anonymized data from users only when they visit the selected commuter lots, in order to inform other drivers of lot occupancy levels."

The app is available through the App Store or Google Play Store. Top app users have a chance to earn a $50 Amazon gift card from ParkZen.

The evaluation period will continue to January 2025 at the six commuter lots. VDOT could consider the technology for other commuter lots in the Northern Virginia and Fredericksburg areas in spring 2025 if the current testing is successful.

"The more drivers who use the app during the trial period, the better job we will be able to do to validate this technology before scaling up to more locations," said McElwain.