Redwood City’s innovative parking guidance system designed to spur a strong post-pandemic comeback
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Starting this summer, shoppers and commuters in Redwood City will no longer have to circle city block after city block to look for parking. The city is installing new technology to launch a parking guidance system that will add digital signage to city streets to easily and quickly direct motorists to an available parking spot. 
“We are grateful for this collaborative and innovative approach to providing parking efficiencies in our downtown, which helps our businesses maintain their operating capacity,” said Redwood City Mayor Diane Howard. “Redwood City is committed to supporting our businesses as they recover from the unprecedented impacts of the last year by implementing policies and making investments that will promote and grow our business community.”
The parking system will cover 400 on-street spaces, seven surface lots, and 11 garages, totalling more 4,500 parking spaces within the city. Twenty-three floating LED signs will be affixed to existing infrastructure such as lamp posts, and will display live parking information in 360 degrees, clearly directing motorists to available parking as they arrive at their destinations.
The system’s sensors detect parking space availability and provide drivers with precise data about available spaces. The technology will integrate with the city’s mobile app, multi-space pay stations, and the camera-based garage count system, to ensure a connected and seamless experience across the city’s full parking ecosystem.
Redwood City’s Parking and Transportation Demand Manager Christian Hammack said, “We must think more creatively and holistically about parking and its daily interaction with Redwood City’s patrons. It plays a critical role in the future of mobility, in supporting our local economy, and ensuring easy access to many of our small businesses.”
The city partnered with the Redwood City Improvement Association to develop this project and says the business community is excited it is moving forward as they are hopeful it will improve patrons’ experience when visiting the downtown core.
"Like many U.S. cities, Redwood City is looking to support its core downtown business while providing residents and visitors door to destination service," states Joe Survance, SVP of Sales for Cleverciti Systems, the city’s partner in launching the new parking technology. "We are excited to work with Redwood City to deliver a Smart Mobility solution that will meet their objectives while improving quality of life by reducing congestion, miles driven, and emissions.
The project, which is funded through the city’s parking fund, is currently under construction and is anticipated to go live in July. In addition to greatly saving motorists time, the parking guidance will improve traffic flow and reduce emissions from idling vehicles. This new parking guidance system is one of the unique ways the city is working to spur activity in its downtown core and ensure a strong post-pandemic recovery.
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