By Robert Ferrin

Columbus, Ohio, received a total of $50 million in the form of two grants as part of the U.S. Department of Transportation Smart Cities Challenge: $40 million from the USDOT and $10 million from the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation. One of the eight demonstration projects includes an Event Parking Management (EPM) system. The EPM system will bring together on and off-street parking availability, payment, and reservation off-street. This project will improve customer service and provide citizens the ability to thoughtfully plan their trip, thus helping to better manage congestion and improve access to Downtown Columbus and the bustling Short North Arts District.

I recently spoke with The Parking Podcast about it. Listen in to hear more, including thoughts on smart cities, starting a new parking program, and how parking plays a critical role at the intersection of transportation and land use in our cities.

Robert Ferrin is assistant director for parking services at the City of Columbus and a member of IPMI’s Board of Directors.