Smart Parking & Mobility Management Plan: Parking Access Revenue Control System Request to Distribute RFP and Create an RFP Review Committee_REMOVED FROM MEETINGCity of Dubuque
City Council Meeting
Action Items # 08.
Copyrighted
February 5, 2024
ITEM TITLE: Smart Parking & Mobility Management Plan: Parking Access Revenue
Control System Request to Distribute RFP and Create an RFP Review
Committee - CI P 360-2936
SUMMARY: City Manager recommending City Council approval to distribute a
Request for Proposals (RFP) for services related to installation of a
Parking Access Revenue Controls System (PARCS) at six parking
ramps and the Port of Dubuque Parking Lot adjacent to the former
McGraw-Hill building.
SUGGESTED Suggested Disposition: Receive and File; Approve
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
Description
MVM Memo
Staff Memo
Type
City Manager Memo
Staff Memo
Move Dubuque Staff Memo
THE CITY OF
Dubuque
DUB TEE1.
All -America City
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
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TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Smart Parking & Mobility Management Plan: Parking Access Revenue
Control System Request to Distribute RFP and Create an RFP Review
Committee
C I P 360-2936
DATE: February 1, 2024
Director of Transportation Services Ryan Knuckey and Project Manager Steve
Sampson Brown are recommending City Council approval to distribute a Request for
Proposals (RFP) for services related to installation of a Parking Access Revenue
Controls System (PARCS) at six parking ramps and the Port of Dubuque Parking Lot
adjacent to the former McGraw-Hill building. PARCS equipment is more commonly
known as "gate equipment". Selecting a PARCS equipment vendor is the next needed
step working towards modernizing the city's parking system.
The estimated capital cost for vendor services associated with the Parking Access
Revenue Control System Project is estimated to be between $1,100,000 - $1,400,000.
This work will be funded from the Smart Parking System CIP (#360-2936) which has a
current total available budget of $1,250,000. City staff has submitted a request for
additional funding as part of the FY25 city budget process.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
v
Mic ael C. Van Milligen
MCVM:sv
Attachment
cc: Crenna Brumwell, City Attorney
Cori Burbach, Assistant City Manager
Ryan Knuckey, Director of Transportation Services
Steve Sampson Brown, Project Manager
Jenny Larson, Chief Financial Officer
Gus Psihoyos, City Engineer
Chris Kohlmann, Chief Information Officer
Jill Connors, Economic Development Director
Russ Stecklein, Operations Supervisor — Parking Division
Anderson Sainci, Director of the Office of Shared Prosperity
Justine Hull, Traffic Engineer
Rick Dickinson, Greater Dubuque Development Corporation, President & CEO
THE CITYF
DUijB- El
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: Michael C. Van Milligen - City Manager
FROM: Ryan Knuckey - Director of Transportation Services
Steve Sampson Brown - Project Manager
Dubuque
AII•Anedea M
W�I
1IIII®r
2007-2012.2013
2017*2019
SUBJECT: Smart Parking & Mobility Management Plan: Parking Access Revenue
Control System Request to Distribute RFP and Create an RFP Review
Committee
C I P 360-2936
DATE: February 1, 2024
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this memorandum is to request City Council approval to distribute a
Request for Proposals (RFP) for services related to installation of a Parking Access
Revenue Controls System (PARCS) at six parking ramps and the Port of Dubuque
Parking Lot adjacent to the former McGraw-Hill building. PARCS equipment is more
commonly known as "gate equipment". Selecting a PARCS equipment vendor is the
next needed step working towards modernizing the city's parking system.
BACKGROUND
Approximately two years ago the City selected Walker Consulting of Minneapolis, MN
(Walker) to produce a Smart Parking and Mobility Management Plan along with
developing an Implementation Plan for a new smart parking system. Walker was
tasked with developing a post -pandemic parking system business strategy to support
the parking system's finances that also provides a positive customer experience.
Specifically, as part of the plan development Walker was required to provide services
for stakeholder engagement, parking & mobility supply/demand analysis/new
technology evaluation, parking system financial modeling, and delivering the final Smart
Parking and Mobility Management Plan (SPMMP).
The Dubuque Main Street, Central Avenue Corridor areas and Historic Millwork District
make up a majority of the core downtown central business district in Dubuque. Having
convenient, available parking in downtown Dubuque is a concern for many local
employers, property developers, and residents. A lack of available parking spaces can
lead to employees, customers, tenants, and homeowners walking undesirable distances
between open parking spaces and their final destinations.
Page 1 of 4
The following guiding principles were developed for the SPMMP project as part of
issuing the RFP to hire Walker. The principles include:
• Parking is a key ingredient for keeping the downtown economically viable.
• Parking needs to be a partnership between the public and private sectors.
• Equitable and inclusive mobility solutions are one of the core components of a
community's livability because it provides access to living wage jobs, healthcare
services, quality education, cultural institutions, and recreation opportunities.
• Parking access and any updated policies need to meet the needs of a diverse
groups of users.
• Parking must be fully integrated with Transit and other forms of transportation
system mobility in order to maximize efficiencies and customer experience.
• Parking and transportation mobility is not free, and an equitable revenue fee
structure needs to be established.
• Parking and mobility solutions need to utilize the most up to date technology and
must be simple to use and manage across all platforms.
• To the maximum extent feasible, parking, and subsequent modes of travel to
final points of destination must feel "safe" for customers.
• A business strategy that works in a post -pandemic environment needs to be
developed.
To date Walker has completed developing approximately 85% of the SPMMP and most
recently provided an update during a city council work session on September 11, 2023.
During the work session Walker outlined the results of public engagement feedback,
their assessment of the parking system, and recommended next steps towards
finalizing both smart parking plan and the implementation plan. With support from
Public Information Office staff, a "MOVEDBQ" website was created to share information
related to all aspects of the SPMMP project and to keep interested parties informed of
progress being made. The recommended outcomes based off of the stakeholder
engagement activities and online survey have been summarized in the attached
document. The MOVEDBQ website is: https://www.cityofdubugue.org/movedbg
After the September 11, 2023 work session meeting, in collaboration with city staff, it
was agreed to merge the smart parking system plan report and the implementation plan
into a single document in order to provide better clarity and improve the ease of
understanding, and to also expedite the installation of new modernized gate equipment.
DISCUSSION
City staff is recommending moving forward now with this PARCS equipment RFP
because of the approximate 10-month lead time that it will that will order and procure
gate equipment. The RFP is structured so that both gated and gateless PARCS
equipment system vendors may provide proposals as long as their equipment meets the
minimum smart parking functional requirements of the RFP. An early start on
equipment procurement will not impact or limit in any way the final system design nor
constrain any recommended operational policies & procedures that will be fully detailed
in the final Smart Parking Management and Implementation Plan report. In addition,
Page 2 of 4
issuing this RFP now will not limit in any way the parking system functionality that was
describe during the September 11, 2023 work session. The final Smart Parking
Management and Implementation Plan report is on schedule to be submitted to the city
council for review and approval in May or June of this year.
Specifically, the Parking Access Revenue Control System RFP contains extensive
construction drawings, technical specifications, and city contracting requirements that
request proposals from qualified vendor(s) to provide integrated and automated PARCS
equipment consistent across six city parking ramps. The end solution(s) must fully
integrate with third party mobile parking payment applications.
The six downtown parking ramps where the PARCS equipment will be installed are:
• Central Avenue Ramp (515 spaces):
975 Central Avenue
•. Five Flags Ramp (333 spaces):
100 West 4th Street
•. Intermodal Ramp (317 spaces):
351 East 9th Street
•. Iowa Ramp (622 spaces):
701 Iowa Street
•. Locust Street Ramp (444 spaces):
830 Bluff Street
• 5th Street Ramp (675 spaces):
501 Iowa Street
* Optional pricing will be requested for the Port of Dubuque Parking Lot
The selected PARCS vendor must be able to handle a mix of transient and contract
parking. PARCS system functionality must be able to accommodate pre -paid
reservations and event parking, validations, contract parking (daytime and overnight),
and hourly/daily transient parking, with the option for parking grace periods for transient
parkers. These functionalities are required to meet the strategic objectives of running a
state of best practice parking ramp management system that can provide management
of contract and transient parkers, revenue collection, access control, enforcement,
which all results in a high performing, customer friendly, data -driven parking system.
Currently the gated PARCS equipment in the City's downtown ramps is aging and
functionally obsolete, leading to frustrations for customers and city staff as the operator.
The city is not currently able to extract data from the current gate systems to understand
parking behaviors and trends, which impedes city staff from making data -driven parking
management decisions. This RFP intends on completing PARCS system upgrades at
all six downtown ramps over the next 10-12 months. This RFP also allows vendors to
propose alternative approaches to equipment financing beyond outright capital
purchase.
Page 3 of 4
The schedule for the RFP distribution and vendor selection is as follows:
RFP Release February 7, 2024
Response Due Date March 6, 2024
Proposal Review & Vendor Selection March 7-28, 2024
Recommendation to City Manager April 2, 2024
The recommend review committee for the submitted proposals is as follows:
• Ryan Knuckey - Director of Transportation Services
• Chris Kohlmann — Chief Information Officer
• Jill Connors - Economic Development Director
• Russ Stecklein - Operation Supervisor — Parking Division
• Anderson Sainci - Director of the Office of Shared Prosperity
• Justine Hull - Traffic Engineer
• Steve Sampson Brown - Project Manager
• Greater Dubuque Development Corp. Representative
• Dubuque Main Street Representative
• Kevin White — Walker Consulting (non -voting member)
• Brian McGann — Walker Consulting (non -voting member)
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City distribute the Parking Access Revenue Control System
RFP and solicit proposals from qualified vendors to provide the described PARCS
equipment installation services.
BUDGETIMPACT
The estimated capital cost for vendor services associated with the Parking Access
Revenue Control System Project is estimated to be between $1,100,000 - $1,400,000.
This work will be funded from the Smart Parking System CIP (#360-2936) which has a
current total available budget of $1,250,000. City staff has submitted a request for
additional funding as part of the FY25 city budget process.
ACTION STEP
I respectfully request authorization to release the RFP for vendor services for the
Parking Access Revenue Control System Project.
SSB/ssb
CC' Jenny Larson — Chief Financial Officer
Gus Psihoyos - City Engineer
Chris Kohlmann — Chief Information Officer
Jill Connors - Economic Development Director
Russ Stecklein - Operations Supervisor — Parking Division
Anderson Sainci - Director of the Office of Shared Prosperity
Justine Hull - Traffic Engineer
Steve Sampson Brown - Project Manager
Page 4of4
1
D6Q _
RIDE • PARK • WALK ROLL
A LONG-TERM The Move DBQ plan will provide a long-term roadmap for how the City of Dubuque can
ROADMAP implement and invest in new technologies and systems to improve parking access,
efficiency, and overall user experience.
Phase 1 Phase 2 Pha e 3
SCHEDULE &
Online and in -person stakeholder engagement throughout all phases PHASES
PHASE 1 RESULTS: CURRENT CONDITIONS ASSESSMENT & DISCOVERY
4 V
Phase 1 included stakeholder engagement, a public survey, and a review
of current conditions and operations. From that evaluation, the following
V #151,
OVER
SURVEY
STAKEHOLDEk
themes and key takeaways have been identified. These will be explored
and developed as the project progresses toward recommendations and
RESPONSES
MEETINGS
implementation in the Summer 2023.
PARKING SUPPLY & AVAILABILITY
NEARLY 4,000
RAMP SPACES
downtown, including the
Port of Dubuque
OVER
1,600
LOT SPACES
downtown, many
reserved permit
spaces
Most respondents acknowledge that there are usually
always spaces available. Some acknowledge that they may
not be in a convenient location, but they can be found with
relative ease.
PEAK UTILIZATION RATES
DATA COLLECTION: SEPT. - DEC. 2022
Utilization is the percentage of parking
spaces occupied by parked cars.
Peak
P<
is the point of highest demand.
Overall, approximately
Overall, approximately
1 /4of downtown
SURFACE LOT
of downtown
1 3 PARKING RAMP
spaces were utilized
spaces were utilized
at peak.
at peak.
Parking operations should be improved to boost
economic development and downtown vibrancy.
Numerous respondents report observing open spaces
throughout the day and believe that technology should be
used to increase access and oversell ramps.
www.cityofdubuque.org/movedbq
TECHNOLOGY Et PARKING PREFERENCES
Current parking technology inhibits the City from managing off-street and on -street facilities in a more efficient manner
in accordance with best practices.
Current parking technology
is functionally obsolete,
leading to frequent
customer service and
maintenance issues.
Most respondents report
concerns with how the
existing parking ramp
technology functions and
the challenges they've
experienced using it.
hMost respondentsprefer to walk
from their parking facility
to their place of employment
COMFORT Fx SAFETY
Survey respondents expressed safety
as the most important item when
thinking about parking downtown.
The ability to move around downtown
safely and comfortably on foot or
bicycle is inhibited by a lack of
dedicated and connected facilities.
Stakeholders desire improved on -street and off-street parking technology for
all types of users, with a focus on parking availability information.
Most respondents believe there should be multiple ways to pay for
parking.
The most highly desired payment feature in a parking ramp or lot
PAY))) downtown is the ability to pay for parking or extend a parking session
using a mobile app.
z ' 3 Most respondents ranked ease of finding parking as their most desired
parking access feature.
Several stakeholders expressed the need for enhanced EV charging
infrastructure across the city.
Respondents coming downtown of respondents would
for ENTERTAINMENT consider WALKING 1 - 2
p BLOCKS FURTHER
are willing to wall<further 69 �O if parking technology indicated
from a parking facility to the location of readily
their destination(s) available parking
COMMUNICATION
Stakeholders expressed the need for
improved communication and wayfinding
about short-term and long-term parking
options, locations, and policies.
Stakeholders expressed a need for
enhanced branding and identity in the
districts of downtown, and improvements
to connectivity between districts.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Et QUALITY OF LIFE
ASSET MANAGEMENT
The low utilization of downtown
off-street parking is caused by a
combination of relatively lower
demand in certain areas, as well as
aging equipment and current policies
around parking management.
ongoing maintenance and
improvement expenses need to be
incurred in the ramps to keep them
in good working order.
A convenient and equitable parking and mobility system is central to economic development and quality of life in Downtown Dubuque.
An equitable parking rate structure is a
concern among stakeholders;
affordable and convenient on -street
and off-street options need to be a
focus moving forward.
Diverse and convenient parking options
that cater to the diverse groups
downtown — small and large business
owners, employees, entertainment
users, and residents — are critical.
Current parking operations are seen as
an obstacle to residential growth and
densification in Downtown Dubuque.
There is an opportunity for the parking
and mobility system to continue to be a
catalyst of economic development and
community vitality in Dubuque.
www.cityofdubuque.org/movedbq