BETHLEHEM, Pa. - The City of Bethlehem is set to roll out a new parking program that aims to benefit both businesses and residents.
The upcoming Smart Loading Zone program will mirror similar programs in cities like Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
The goal is to reduce congestion and safety hazards and increase short-term parking efficiency, the city said in a news release. Addressing efficiency will help turn over the number of occupied spaces in a shorter time duration.
- Bethlehem is introducing a Smart Loading Zone program, a pilot project dedicated to short-term parking safety and efficiency
- A change of consumer behaviors has contributed to worsened curbside parking, which led to the idea of the program
- Drivers will be able to register for the program once by providing license plate and payment information
Bethlehem was selected by Automotus, an automated curb management solutions company, to receive a $100,000 grant to support the launch of the program, which will label more congested zones in the city as "Smart Loading Zones."
The idea comes as a result of a major transformation of consumer behavior. Throughout the pandemic, more people adopted deliveries and pickups in place of in-person shopping, which has led to an increase in commercial drivers on the road and a soaring need for curbside parking.
“Loading Zone abuse causes drivers to find other places to park,” said Ken Jones, a Bethlehem Parking Authority (BPA) enforcement manager, in the release. “Unfortunately, we see those other places as double parking in travel lanes or crosswalks.”
In the hope of saving more spaces for the upcoming Smart Loading Zones, the BPA and the City of Bethlehem are also figuring out the city’s short-term parking spaces, also called Pick Up and Delivery Zones.
Dick Lynn, BTA facilities manager, said the Pick Up and Delivery Zones and parking meters will be used for shorter-term parkers to “save the Smart Loading Zones for deliveries.”
"These options will create the turnover needed for a more efficient and safer parking system,” Lynn added.
According to the BPA, the revenue made from the Smart Loading Zones will go toward the Downtown Bethlehem Association and Southside Arts District.
“We’re fortunate to have been selected to receive this support which made it possible to roll this out at no cost, and we’re happy that this new temporary funding source can be used to enhance our downtowns,” BPA Executive Director Steven Fernstrom said.
“Cities of all sizes can benefit from better-managed streets that result in increased parking turnover that drives more business to local stores, safer streets through the reduction of double parking, and less congestion to make our trips through the city a lot less frustrating.”Jordan Justus, chief executive officer of Automotus
“Cities of all sizes can benefit from better-managed streets that result in increased parking turnover that drives more business to local stores, safer streets through the reduction of double parking, and less congestion to make our trips through the city a lot less frustrating,” Automotus Chief Executive Officer Jordan Justus said.
The launch of the program comes on the heels of continued changes to the city's parking scene.
In early December, the BPA announced that it would be introducing new multi-space pay stations to replace the old single-space parking meters throughout the city, which aims to bring more payment and language options.
“We’re happy to provide the public with parking solutions that offer various payment options and the most convenient industry-leading features,” Fernstrom said in a separate statement.
Compared to the permanent change of the pay stations, the Smart Loading Zone program is more of a temporary project.
The pilot program will begin this month and last approximately three years, the BPA indicated.
Drivers and fleets will be able to sign up once by registering their license plate and payment information. The zones will be completely automated and drivers will only be charged for the time their vehicle is parked.
Prior to the launch, more information on how to register will be released on the Automotus website.
To help residents learn more about the program, a town hall meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Jan. 19, at the Bethlehem Parking Authority main offices, 85 W. North Street.
