What does a parking planning study include?

A parking planning study should do more than count spaces. It should help you understand how the parking system performs, when pressure is highest, who is using the spaces, and which constraints are creating the most friction. Depending on the property, district, campus, or community, the study may evaluate: Existing parking supply and occupancy Peak demand by time, day, and user group Turnover and parking duration Nearby public and private parking resources Shared-parking opportunities Pricing, permits, enforcement, and allocation policies Access, circulation, walking distances, and wayfinding Current and future land uses Transportation Demand Management opportunities Capital costs, operational impacts, and long-term value The goal is to identify the right strategy before committing land, budget, and time to a solution.

How do I know whether a parking problem is caused by limited supply or poor management?

A parking problem is not always a parking-shortage problem. Drivers may struggle to find spaces even when capacity exists nearby because parking is poorly allocated, difficult to locate, priced incorrectly, reserved for the wrong users, or underused during the periods when demand is highest. The first step is to understand how the system actually performs. A parking study can evaluate occupancy, turnover, duration, peak demand, user patterns, pricing, access, nearby facilities, and operational constraints. That helps distinguish a true capacity gap from a management problem. The Federal Highway Administration guidance on active parking management explains how parking facilities can be managed to improve utilization, influence travel decisions, reduce circling, and support traffic flow.

Should we build more parking, or make better use of the parking we already have?

Building more parking is not always the best first answer. Before adding capacity, it is useful to understand whether the existing supply can perform better through improved allocation, shared use, pricing, signage, technology, operational changes, or transportation-demand strategies. A parking planning study can help determine where parking is constrained, where spaces are underused, how demand changes by time and user group, and whether a new facility is justified. The goal is to invest in the solution that solves the actual problem rather than defaulting to the most expensive option. The U.S. Department of Transportation overview of parking reforms explains that parking reforms can help communities use existing supply more efficiently and better balance parking supply and demand.

What information should be reviewed before deciding whether a new parking garage is needed?

Before committing to a new parking facility, it is useful to evaluate: Existing parking supply and occupancy Peak demand by time, day, and user group Turnover and parking duration Nearby public and private parking resources Shared-parking opportunities Pricing and permit policies Expected development, land-use, and mobility changes Transportation Demand Management opportunities Capital costs, operating expenses, and projected revenues The value of the land and alternative uses for the site The right answer may be a new facility, a smaller facility, a phased strategy, or operational improvements that delay or reduce the need for new construction.

What is shared parking, and when can it reduce the amount of parking a development needs?

Shared parking allows multiple land uses to rely on some of the same parking spaces when their busiest periods do not occur at the same time. For example, office, residential, retail, restaurant, hotel, and entertainment uses may generate different demand patterns throughout the day and week. A shared-parking analysis evaluates those patterns to determine whether the same spaces can serve more than one use without creating unacceptable parking pressure. Shared parking can help reduce unnecessary construction, preserve land for higher-value uses, and improve overall utilization when the surrounding conditions support it. The U.S. Department of Transportation parking-reforms guide explains that shared parking can take advantage of different peak-demand times to improve parking efficiency.

How can parking pricing, permits, and wayfinding improve parking availability?

Parking availability is influenced by more than the total number of spaces. Pricing, permit rules, time limits, enforcement, and wayfinding can affect where people park, how long they stay, and whether underused spaces are visible to drivers. A parking planning study can help identify whether certain facilities are overloaded while others remain underused, whether short-term and long-term users are competing for the same spaces, and whether policies should be adjusted to support better turnover and utilization. The Federal Highway Administration guidance on active parking management identifies dynamic pricing and real-time wayfinding as strategies that can improve parking use and reduce time spent searching for a space.

What is a Transportation Demand Management plan, and how can it affect parking demand?

A Transportation Demand Management, or TDM, plan identifies practical ways to give people more transportation choices and reduce unnecessary reliance on single-occupancy vehicle trips. Depending on the property or community, a TDM plan may consider transit access, walking, biking, ridesharing, shared mobility, flexible schedules, incentives, parking policies, and other strategies that affect how people travel. TDM matters because parking demand is shaped by travel behavior. A project may be able to reduce parking pressure, improve access, or avoid overbuilding by planning for how people will arrive rather than assuming every trip will require a dedicated parking space. The Federal Highway Administration overview of Transportation Demand Management describes TDM as a set of strategies aimed at maximizing traveler choices.

Should a parking planning study include accessible parking requirements?

Yes. Accessible parking should be considered as part of the overall parking strategy, not treated as an afterthought. The number, location, dimensions, access aisles, routes, signage, slopes, and vertical clearances for accessible spaces may affect how a lot or garage should be planned. State and local requirements may also add requirements beyond the federal baseline. The ADA.gov guidance on accessible parking spaces explains that accessible parking must be provided when lots or garages are provided, and that the required number must be calculated separately for each parking facility.

When should a city, campus, or development update its parking policies or code requirements?

Parking policies should be reviewed when existing requirements no longer reflect actual demand, current land uses, transportation choices, development goals, or the way the area functions today. Older requirements may assume that every trip will be made by private vehicle or that each land use must provide its own dedicated parking supply. In some settings, that can lead to unnecessary construction, higher development costs, underused spaces, and less flexibility for future growth. A parking code study can evaluate minimum and maximum parking requirements, shared-parking provisions, on-street parking, pricing, transportation-demand strategies, and other policies that influence land use and access. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guide to parking policies and smart growth explains how parking requirements can influence development patterns and how more flexible policies can help communities balance parking needs with broader goals.

Parking Planning – Walker Consultants

Walker Planning & Mobility Services

Parking Planning

Parking demand is rarely static. Development patterns shift, travel behavior changes, and competing priorities can make it difficult to know whether the real issue is supply, management, access, or how the system is being used. Walker helps you see the full picture, identify what others may miss, and make more informed parking decisions that support current needs, future growth, and long-term value.

Contact A Parking Planning Professional

See the Full Picture

Before you add spaces, understand the demand.

A full garage, frustrated drivers, or pressure to add spaces can point to a capacity issue. But it can also signal a management problem, an allocation problem, or a mismatch between where parking exists and where people need it most. Walker helps you understand how the system is actually performing so you can separate the real constraint from the visible symptom and invest in the solution that creates the most value.

What we support.

Planning & Mobility services

Planning & Mobility

Airport Landside Plans

Develop plans that improve passenger access, circulation, curb operations, parking utilization, and multimodal connectivity at airport facilities.

Bicycle Studies and Plans

Evaluate bicycle infrastructure, network connectivity, parking needs, and user demand to support safer and more effective cycling systems.

Mobility Studies and Plans

Assess travel patterns, transportation options, and emerging mobility services to support long-term planning and investment decisions.

Municipal Code Studies and Updates

Review existing regulations and develop code updates that align parking, transportation, and mobility goals with changing community needs.

Parking Supply/Demand

Analyze current and future parking utilization to identify opportunities for optimization, redevelopment, and efficient resource allocation.

Shared Parking Plans

Evaluate opportunities for shared parking arrangements that improve utilization, reduce costs, and support multiple land uses.

Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Plans

Develop strategies that encourage alternative transportation options and reduce reliance on single-occupancy vehicle travel.

Parking Allocation and Pricing Strategies

Evaluate allocation methods, pricing structures, and operational policies to balance utilization, revenue objectives, and user needs.

Curb Management

Assess curbside activity, loading requirements, mobility priorities, and competing user demands to support effective curb allocation strategies.

Planning & Mobility Decision Guide

What Are You Trying to Solve?

Parking and mobility challenges are not always caused by a simple lack of space. Use this guide to identify the strongest starting point for your property, district, campus, community, or airport.

Showing all planning and mobility questions.

Planning and mobility decision guide showing common parking, curb, mobility, code, and airport questions with recommended starting points.
What You Are Seeing or Planning	What It May Indicate	Recommended Starting Point	Why It Matters
01Drivers Struggle to Find Spaces, but Some Areas Appear Underused	Allocation, wayfinding, pricing, access, or utilization issues rather than a true systemwide supply shortage.	Parking utilization and occupancy analysis	A frustrating parking experience does not always mean the total supply is inadequate. The first step is understanding where spaces exist, who is using them, and when pressure is highest.
02A Development Team Is Deciding How Much Parking to Build	Risk of overbuilding, underbuilding, or committing land and capital before the demand is understood.	Parking supply-and-demand study	Right-sizing can support access while preserving land, flexibility, and capital for higher-value uses.
03Different Land Uses Generate Demand at Different Times	Opportunity to reduce dedicated parking needs through shared use.	Shared-parking analysis	Offices, housing, retail, restaurants, event venues, and other uses may not reach peak demand at the same time. Shared parking can help avoid unnecessary construction when the conditions support it.
04A District, Campus, or Community Has Recurring Parking Complaints	A systemwide management, allocation, access, or policy issue.	Parking-management and allocation strategy	The solution may involve permits, wayfinding, technology, pricing, enforcement, operations, or better use of nearby facilities rather than new construction alone.
05A Property Is Considering New Pricing or Permit Policies	Need to balance access, turnover, utilization, revenue goals, and user expectations.	Parking allocation and pricing study	Pricing and allocation policies can influence where people park, improve availability, and support more efficient use of limited space.
06A Community Is Updating Zoning or Development Requirements	Existing parking or mobility requirements may no longer reflect actual demand, current land uses, or long-term goals.	Municipal code study and update	Parking and mobility requirements shape development costs, land use, access, and future flexibility. The code should support the outcomes the community is trying to achieve.
07A Project Wants to Reduce Reliance on Single-Occupancy Vehicle Travel	Opportunity to manage demand differently through transportation choices, incentives, and operational strategies.	Transportation Demand Management plan	Parking demand is shaped by how people travel. A TDM plan can help align parking strategy with transit, walking, biking, shared mobility, and other practical options.
08Bicycle Access or Network Connectivity Needs Improvement	Gaps in bicycle infrastructure, parking, safety, access, or network continuity.	Bicycle study and plan	Bicycle planning can help communities, campuses, and developments understand where infrastructure, connections, and support facilities can better serve real demand.
09Travel Patterns or Mobility Options Are Changing	Existing assumptions may no longer reflect how people move today or how demand may evolve over time.	Mobility study and plan	A broader mobility review can help connect parking, access, travel behavior, emerging services, and long-term investment decisions.
10Parking, Deliveries, Loading, and Pick-Up Activity Compete for Curb Space	Curb space is being asked to serve more users than the current allocation can support effectively.	Curb-management study	The curb may need to support parking, loading, passenger pick-up, accessible access, transit, micromobility, and other uses. A clear strategy can reduce conflicts and improve access.
11An Airport Is Experiencing Curb, Parking, or Circulation Pressure	Competing passenger, vehicle, parking, curb, and multimodal demands across the landside system.	Airport landside plan	Passenger access, circulation, curb operations, parking utilization, and multimodal connections need to work as one coordinated system.

This guide is a starting point. The right planning scope depends on the location, the available data, the users involved, and the decisions your team needs to make.

Talk With a Planning & Mobility Specialist

FROM DATA TO DECISIONS

A Parking Study Should Give You a Clearer Path Forward

A useful parking study should do more than count spaces. It should help you understand when demand is highest, who is using the system, where capacity may be underused, and which constraints are creating the most friction.

The right strategy may involve new parking, but it may also involve shared use, better allocation, pricing changes, code updates, wayfinding, transportation-demand strategies, or operational improvements. Walker helps you evaluate the tradeoffs so you can make a more informed decision before committing land, budget, and time to a solution.

Plan for the Demand You Will Have, Not Just the Demand You See Today

Parking decisions have a long lifespan. Development patterns change. Travel behavior evolves. New mobility options emerge. A strategy that responds only to today’s conditions can create unnecessary cost or limit future flexibility.

Walker helps you evaluate current performance alongside future growth, land-use plans, operational priorities, and mobility goals so the parking strategy can continue serving the property, district, campus, or community over time.

What Should a Parking Planning Study Consider?

Existing parking supply and occupancy
Peak demand by time, day, and user group
Turnover and parking duration
Nearby parking resources and shared-use opportunities
Pricing, permits, enforcement, and allocation policies
Current and future land uses
Walking distances, access, and wayfinding
Transportation Demand Management opportunities
Development plans and future mobility trends
Capital cost, operational impact, and long-term value

Connected Experts

People who know what to look for.

Walker’s strength comes from specialists who understand the details, the tradeoffs, and the decisions owners need to make next.

Lindsay Bayley

Parking & Mobility Consultant

Chicago (Loop), IL

Jim Corbett

Director of Planning and Operations Services

Charlotte, NC

Chrissy Mancini Nichols

Principal/National Director of Curb Management and New Mobility

San Francisco, CA

Steffen Turoff

Principal/Director of Studies

Irvine, CA

Kevin White, AICP, PTMP

Director of Planning

Minneapolis, MN

IN THE KNOW

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